


Hunter's Moon

by J_P_Lupine



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Ass-Kicking, Bad English, Banshee Lydia Martin, Biting, Don't copy to another site, Eventual Romance, Feral Behavior, Kanima Jackson Whittemore, Learning How to Human, Monsters, NSFW, Nonbinary Character, Oral Sex, Other, Rough Sex, Smut, Vaginal Fingering, Werewolf Hunters, Werewolves, Wild to Civilization, Wilderness, lots of growling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-24
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2020-07-18 00:27:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 36
Words: 71,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19965709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/J_P_Lupine/pseuds/J_P_Lupine
Summary: Eyes of silverTeeth of boneGrip of ironPelt of steelFeral and all alone, a beast is living in the woods of Beacon Hills and it's on the hunt for something it can't have on it's own. Something is coming- something more dangerous than even itself, and it knows. The beast needs a pack to stay alive and it's found just the way to get what it wants- follow the human with the wolf.Change is on the horizon and the beast knows....either adapt or die.





	1. Arrival

A cool night wind blew through the trees, causing the dead and browning leaves to rustle in the trees. It had only been days since the commotion caused by Peter Hale, and everyone was recovering from their ordeals against the monstrous alpha. Everything was calm on the supernatural front and that had most people feeling at ease.

However, the quiet and calm soon came to an end on one Sunday night as a young girl was walking down a hiking trail in the woods. It wasn't too late, and she was only out at this time to clear her head from the frustrations of life. She was on her phone, the screen palely illuminating her face as she glanced up periodically to make sure she hadn't wandered from the trail. The girl had her headphones in and her music up, disabling her from hearing much of the outside world.

Her fingers tapped on the screen as she was typing texts and updating her blog to vent out her frustrations. A twig had snapped under her foot, breaking the silence of the woods, and she took no notice of it. She then received a text from a close friend and tapped on it to reply. As she was doing so, she stopped walking, feeling uneasy as the little hairs on her skin began to rise.

Raising her eyes from her screen, she briefly glanced around, checking her surroundings for anything dangerous. She saw nothing in particular, but it was dark and she wasn't sure. Clenching her jaw, she steeled her self and went to the camera app on her phone.

She turned on the flash and went to video, the light from her phone acting as a flashlight. The girl shone it into the surrounding trees, scanning the area as her phone recorded. She'd delete it later, but she needed the light now, and if anything happened to her, it'd be caught on her camera. It was no secret about the mountain lion killings a little while back, and this young lady did not wish to become another big cat's prey without anyone at least knowing.

Pulling her headphones out of her ears to see if she could hear anything, she caught the sound of a low growl coming from behind her. Her heart began to pound as she spun around, facing her source of light and eyes in the approximate direction the noise had came from. A cold sweet formed on her brow as she swept the camera light over the trees and brush. Her throat felt dry when she heard the growl again, but this time she knew exactly where it had come from.

Shining the light between two trees, the girl gasped, nearly screaming as two glowing eyes reflected the light from her phone. Assuming it was an animal, she tried to stay as still as possible while internally panicking and mentally screaming for the beast to go away.

Without taking the light off of the animal, the girl watched in horror as the animal's silhouette seemed to grow. The light from her phone didn't quite reach the animal, so she couldn't tell what it was, but she could at least make out the outline of it as the eyes rose from the ground.

Now....now she really did scream. The eyes were glowing a dangerous color and the silhouette had taken a humanoid form as the beast rose to two legs. Her scream echoed through the quiet woods as she turned on her heel and began to run. A louder growl followed her, but she couldn't hear if she was being physically followed or not. As she ran, she didn't look back and didn't veer from the trail as she went back the way she had come. Racing to her car, she determined she hadn't been followed and sped off back home.

However, once inside the seemingly safe walls of her home, she watched the video on her phone. Afterwards....she sent it to her friend.

~

"Scott!" A male's voice called out as the halls were filled with teenagers coming to and from classes and lockers. A male with short, dark brown hair and eyes glanced up from his locker, looking to the one that had called his name.

"What?" The boy chuckled while looking at his friend that was panting and looking as if he had just run a lengthy marathon.

"I....I was in class and...." He said between breaths. His hair was dark and buzzed, his clothes were a bit sloppy, and his backpack was barley hanging on one of his shoulders.

"I hope you were in class." Scott replied while grabbing a book from his locker and shutting it. He received a look from his friend before he continued to talk.

"I was in class and I heard these two girls talking." He managed to finish as he rose to his full height.

"You were listening to a couple of girls talking? Stiles, why?"

"Will you shut up and let me finish?" Fixing the backpack on his shoulder, he returned to trying to tell Scott what he needed to. "I overheard them talking and they were looking at something on their phones. They-they mentioned glowing eyes, so of course I was curious and looked over their shoulders since they were sitting in front of me." Stiles placed a hand onto his friend's shoulder. "Scott, I think there's a werewolf hiding out in the woods."

"What was the picture?" Scott asked while walking down the hall, heading to class while carrying a textbook under one arm.

"It looked like the woods at night, and there was this human-ish figure, but the face was blocked because it looked like there were two laser beams looking at the camera." Stiles replied while pointing two fingers in front of his own eyes while looking at Scott.

"Kind of like when someone takes my picture?"

"Exactly like." Stiles nodded while walking beside Scott.

"I guess I can check it out. Did you recognize where the picture was taken?" Scott questioned while glancing over at Stiles.

"No, but one of them mentioned being on a hiking trail."


	2. Field and Lunch

The following night, Scott ventured out into the woods surrounding Beacon Hills, walking along the hiking trails while being vigilant and keeping a keen eye on his surroundings. Stiles refused to let him go alone, so the human was right beside him, illuminating the path in front of them with his flashlight.

They tried keeping the talking to a minimum so they could listen and not scare off anything that could of heard them. They spent hours searching, but came up with nothing other than a dead deer that had been mostly eaten. It had been cold by the time they had found it and flies were already buzzing around.

The next day, even Scott overheard people talking about the video Stiles had seen. The girl was sending it to her friends and they were sending it to their friends, creating a chain reaction within the school that caused the students to buzz about what might be in the video. Some speculated a weird animal, some guessed it was just someone with a headlamp, and others had various ideas as to what it could be.

Later that afternoon when Scott and Stiles were at lacrosse practice, Scott could smell something foul in the air. His nose wrinkled and his eyes scanned the field for the source of the smell.

"What's with that face?" Stiles questioned while fixing his pads on his arms.

"I smell something." Scott replied. "It smells like....blood and something rotting."

"There's probably a dead animal around here." Stiles shrugged. "Look around and you'll see that we're surrounded by woods, bound to be a few dead animals here and there."

"Stiles....it's not a dead animal." Scott stated, grabbing his friend's head and making him look up. Straight across the field and standing just in front of the treeline, Scott saw someone covered in leaves and dirt. The scent filling his nose radiated from this one being and Stiles jumped to his feet.

"Is it just me, or does that woman look feral?" He questioned, seeing the woman with long hair covering her face just standing there like a statue. Her hair was wild and dirty and went past her waist, covering most of her body as well.

"No....it's not just you." Scott replied lowly as he narrowed his eyes. His brows furrowed with slight confusion while he tried to figure out why the woman was there. He blinked, but then the woman was just gone.

"Where the Hell did she go?" Stiles's voice rose in pitch, not seeing how the woman had left so quickly.

"....I don't know." Scott answered while looking all around again, seeing if the woman was somewhere else around the field.

"McCall! Stalinski! Get out here!" The coach shouted, gaining their attention before they went out onto the field.

~

"Hey, what if that woman was the figure in the video?" Stiles asked at lunch Wednesday afternoon. The cafeteria was loud with chattering voices, and Stiles was leaning on the table as he looked at Scott. The other boy was eating when he looked up and received the question.

"Could be, but there's no way to be certain." Scott replied after swallowing the food in his mouth.

"Yeah, but what are the odds that some strange, dirty woman that shows up on the field after a mysterious _thing_ is videoed and they aren't the same thing?" Stiles raised his eyebrows while grabbing his little bottle of water. Twisting off the cap, he watched his friend's expression change to a thinking look as he drank.

"You have a point, but I don't know." Scott paused. "Maybe it's just a hobo or a lone wolf? Nothing bad has happened, so it shouldn't really be a problem."

"Come on, after everything with Peter, do you really think nothing bad is going to happen? You said she smelled like blood and rot- does that say 'good guy' to you?" Stiles screwed the cap back onto his water bottle and pointed as he picked up his plastic fork. "When has something that smells like blood and death ever been something nice?"

"....You got a point."

"I know I do. And with the way she showed up on the field, how much you want to bet she's after you?"

"Why would she be after me?" Scott asked while leaning more on the table and looking confused.

"Why was Peter?" Stiles raised his brows again and took a bite from his lunch.


	3. Eyes of Silver

The days following the first appearance of the dirty woman lead to more sightings as she began to appear on trails in the woods and at the lacrosse field more and more. Even a few teachers had managed to catch a glimpse of the dirty woman and some blurry photos were even taken just before she disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The feeling of unease began to rise as a handful of people began to go out into the woods in search of the woman. Rumors of her sightings began to spread and Scott and Stiles soon figured out that she was mostly spotted at the lacrosse field during practices. Another thing that caused tension was that every night when Scott and Stiles went out to find the woman, they'd find more mostly eaten deer and a few that had looked as if they had been mauled.

As more people started to go out into the woods, however, human bodies that had been ripped apart began to appear. It looked as if the 'mountain lion' attacks had started up again and Scott had no choice but to turn to a certain someone for help. Someone with a rather sour and bitter temper that always seemed to look displeased with nearly everything.

~

"I know." A tall male stated as he stood on the porch of a dilapidated house in the middle of the woods. "I've been out trying to find it for the past few days."

"With just about the same amount of luck as us, I see." Scott sighed while putting his hands into his jacket pockets.

"No," The dark haired man on the porch came down the steps and crushed dead leaves under his feet. "I've narrowed down the hunting grounds. And I actually saw the thing yesterday."

"What? Why didn't you stop her?!" Scott shifted on his feet as his brows furrowed while he looked at the other man. "Derek?" He questioned when he noticed the man's jaw clenching.

"She's faster than she looks." Derek stated.

"But she's just a lone werewolf, you're an Alpha." The teenager didn't hide the confusion that was written clearly on his face.

"It's _not_ a werewolf." The Alpha said sharply while locking eyes with Scott. "It's eyes were silver."

"Silver? Then, if she's not another werewolf, what is she?"

"I honestly don't know." Derek sighed while looking out into the woods. Crossing his arms as his eyes scanned the surrounding area, he remained standing where he was. "But we need to catch it before someone else does."

"And how are we supposed to do that?"

"Chase it into a trap." His eyes focused back onto Scott.

"Like a cage?"

"Or a deep pit. Whatever works." There was a second of silence as the two males just stood there, trying to figure out a good way to capture the strange woman. The quiet, however, was broken when the phone in Scott's pocket began to ring. Pulling the device from his pocket, he tapped the green button and was met with a shouting voice.

"HURRY UP AND GET TO THE TRAIL THE SCHOOL USES!" It was Stiles's voice and he sounded slightly out of breath.

"Why? What's wrong?" Scott's brows furrowed as he was trying to figure out why it sounded as if the boy on the other end of the call was running.

"IT'S HER!" He shouted. "I SET UP A TRAP AND SHE FOUND ME INSTEAD OF THE BAIT! OH, MY GOD, HURRY! SHE'S TINY BUT FAST! OH, SHI-" And the line went dead. Scott wasted no time and bolted in the direction of the trail the school often used for training. He could hear Derek hot on his trail and ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

He jumped over fallen trees and exposed roots, dodged past trees, and kicked up a cloud of dust and leaves in his wake. His best friend was in trouble and he needed to be there to save him as quickly as he could.

As Scott and Derek neared the running trail, they could smell the woman's scent of blood and rot.

"Stiles!" Scott yelled. "Stiles!" He called once more, trying to find the human being chased by an unknown beast.

"Over here...." Scott's sensitive ears picked up the faint voice and ran in the direction it had come from. The closer he got, the more he could also hear panting.

Arriving at a clearing, the brown eyed boy saw his friend laying face-up on the ground. He was breathing heavily, but wasn't really moving.

"Stiles!"

"I'm....fine...." The boy replied when Scott slid to a stop at his side. He then cracked a smile while raising his eyebrows. "Barely...."

"You could have been killed." Derek spoke up, his voice harsh and blunt as he was looking up.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't." Stiles chuckled before groaning and sitting up. "Scott, I can't feel my legs...."

"Are you hurt?! Where did the lady go?" Scott asked while glancing around. Stiles smirked before pointing up, and his eyes followed. A few yards above them, hanging from a thick tree branch, was the dirty woman. She was rather calm while being curled up in a net made of chains. Her dark eyes, however, were full of rage as she glared down at Stiles without restraint.

"How did you...."

"She went after me instead of the bait, so I circled back around and she followed me right into the trap." Stiles replied, catching his breath.

"You're insane!" Scott laughed while lightly pushing Stiles. "Where did you even get that?"

"Don't ask."

"You do realize we have no idea what to do with it now, don't you?" Derek stated, crossing his arms as he looked back down at the two teenagers.

"Uh...." Stiles got this blank look on his face while looking at the ground. "I didn't really think that far."

"Why don't you take her?" Scott suggested, helping his best friend to his feet.

"What?"

"Well, we can't hold onto her. We have school tomorrow, and she'd destroy our houses." Scott raised his shoulders while looking at the dark haired male. "You can hold her at your place until we can come up with something else, right?" Derek clenched his jaw while glancing up at the naked and dirty woman still in the net.

"Just until you come up with something else. And you better not get distracted. Figure out what this thing is and how to kill it." He harshly replied. "We shouldn't take any chances."

"Perfect! You know how to take down a net?" Stiles asked, receiving a look from Derek. "Alrighty, then. I'll take that as a yes. Scott, how about we get out of here and start the painstaking process of figuring out what she is? She had silver eyes when she was chasing me, so I'm going to assume 'werewolf' is _not_ the answer."

Derek quietly watched the two younger males walk off while clenching his jaw. Of course, taking care of....whatever this woman was....fell to him. He was the most experienced werewolf here, so it was most likely that he could use his strength if necessary to keep the woman in line. Also, his current living space was a rather run down place with a few leaks. There wasn't much else she could destroy in there if she got loose.

But the bigger problem then made itself blatantly aware. _How in the Hell was Derek going to keep her contained?_ He didn't know what in the world she was, so he hadn't the slightest on the best way of keeping her in one place.

Sighing as he looked up, the woman was now glaring at him. She tried to move, but ended up getting no where closer to escape.


	4. Alpha

_'Wolf.'_ I thought, smelling the man standing below me. I usually stayed away from them and they usually stayed away from me, but he smelled a little different than other wolves. He had more of a presence, more power.... An Alpha?

Alphas were a bunch of brutes that thought the world revolved around them and fought anyone who disagreed- well, most of them- but either way I tended to give any wolf pack territories a wide birth. But, as things were changing, I had to change. Something was coming and it was too dangerous for me to be alone.

I needed an Alpha. I came here looking for one, and now that I had, I couldn't wuss out now and run.

I silently watched him as he was glaring at me with the same intensity I glared at him with, and he sighed through his nose before going to the tree. He undid a rope tied around a branch and I waited patiently. I may have underestimated that human, but I knew he could lead me to the Alpha eventually with how much he hung out with that other wolf.

Originally, my plan had been to lure out the Alpha, or to follow the Beta to the rest of his pack, but the human had appeared and I couldn't pass up the chance that was presented to me.

"Alpha." My voice was husky with lack of use, but his attention snapped to me and he stopped lowering the net.

"What do you want?" He asked roughly and I shifted in the net.

"Alpha." I repeated. "Need Alpha." He seemed to be thinking as he paused, his brows knitting together as he eyed me.

"So you came here?"

"Was close."

"Why should I help you? You're killing people."

"Didn't."

"Didn't _what_?"

"Not me." He paused, his eyes narrowed before he let the rope go and I plummeted to the forest floor. Grunting from the impact, I pushed myself up and tried to untangle myself from the clinking metal links.

"Are you trying to tell me it's not you mauling humans?" From his expression it didn't seem like he believed me.

"Someone else." Pulling the net over my head, I cringed as it pulled some of my hair.

"....You came for an Alpha?" He questioned while shifting on his feet and I nodded. "Then come with me." The male jerked his head to the side, gesturing for me to walk.

~

"You're not a werewolf, so why are you looking for a wolf Alpha?" He questioned, leaning over the tub to turn the metal knobs. Water rushed from the pipes as I looked around the dimly lit room. The entire place didn't really look lived in with it not even being an actual house- in all honesty I wasn't sure where we were but there was a broken down train in the bigger room we had come in from.

"Nothing else."

"What are you then?" The shower head sputtered on and I scratched my jaw.

"Not you."

"This would be a lot easier if your English didn't suck." He grumbled, leaning back and turning to me. "Get in." Glancing from the shower to him, I didn't move. "Get. In." He pointed, but I bared my teeth and gave a warning growl. The Alpha growled in return, roughly grabbing my arm and forcing me under the stream of water. Lukewarm drops pelted my skin, causing my hair to hang in clumps as the bottom of the tub turned brown.

"Stop fighting!" He grabbed the back of my neck to keep me under the water as I was growling.

"Who's the new chick?" A feminine voice questioned before chuckling. "And what's with the man-handling?"

"She's what we thought was killing people." The Alpha grunted. "She says it's not her though-"

"Not me!"

"And she's feral."

"That explains the smell, but why are you bothering with an Omega wolf?"

"Not wolf!"

"What?"

"She's not a werewolf, Erica."

"Then what the Hell _is_ she?"

"Scott and Stiles are on that." The Alpha grumbled, pulling leaves and twigs from my hair.

"Then....why is she here?" The female gave an uncertain laugh as I kept my eyes closed to keep the dirty water out.

"Alpha."

"She's looking for an Alpha. I haven't figured out why."

"How about you stop being so rough with her?"

"You want to do this instead?" The Alpha snapped and there was a pause before the hand on the back of my neck released its grip. Looking up, I saw a blonde teenager rolling up her sleeves as she neared me.

"Aw, man. How long have you been feral? You're absolutely caked in dirt." She grabbed my face, rubbing her hands over my cheeks to clean them. Baring my teeth, my nose scrunched up as I pressed my back up against the wall.

"At least you hope it's dirt."

"I prefer it to the alternative, thanks." She popped off before turning her attention back to me. "So why are you lookin' for an Alpha?"

"Protection."

"From what?" The Alpha furrowed his brows at me while crossing his arms.

"Beast." The blonde paused as they were both looking at me.

"What beast?"

"People killer."

"Wait, you've _seen_ it?"

"No."

"Do you know what it is?"

"No."

"Do you know what _anything_ is?" The Alpha lowly growled.

"Alpha. Beta." I pointed to the man and then to the girl. "Rogue." Pointing to myself, the blonde then looked confused.

"Rogue? What-what's that?"

"Means she's without a pack. Alone."

"Like an Omega?"

"Pretty much."

~

There were more people standing in front of me now, looking at me as the blonde girl was drying my hair with a towel. I sat on a crate, wearing clothes sizes too big that were rather uncomfortable as I was used to being naked.

"Who is she?" One of the males questioned.

"Haven't really gotten there yet."

"Derek, I don't think she really _knows_ a lot of English."

"She doesn't sound foreign." One of the Betas crossed his arms.

"No, I mean...." The female paused. "I think she may have gone wild before she could learn it. That, or didn't use it for so long she forgot how to speak it properly." They went quiet while watching me.

"Hey." The broad Beta cautiously took a step towards me, crouching while looking me in the eyes. "What's your name?"

"....Can't remember."

"How long have you been in the woods? Away from people?" He questioned, tilting his head while speaking with a gentle tone.

"Kid."

"Since you were a kid?" I nodded.

"Holy shit."


	5. Animal

"You're cutting her hair?"

"She asked me to. Said it was in the way." Erica replied. "Any news?"

"Derek's gone to check up on that now, actually."

"You know....I think she's telling the truth."

"About?"

"I don't think she's the one killing those people."

"What makes you say that?" The male scoffed.

"I don't know. She's just been so _docile_."

"We don't even know _what_ she is, Erica. She could be docile now, but when she turns into whatever it is she turns into, there's no telling."

"Isaac."

"Look, we don't know anything about her. She just shows up out of nowhere, looking for a pack for protection- there's a _reason_ she wants protection. She's been alone who knows how long until _now_."

"I'm here." I grumbled since they were speaking as if I weren't right in front of them.

"Sorry, lady, but you don't even know your own name let alone what you are. That, or you just don't _remember_."

"Derek's back, so head's up." The broad Beta declared as he came down the stairs. "You're cutting her hair?"

"In the way." I stated and he just shrugged.

"What'd they say?" Erica looked to the Alpha as he calmly came down from upstairs.

"They've got nothing."

"That's not surprising. I mean, _silver eyes_? Not really something you hear about every day." Isaac shifted on his feet and the scissors in the blonde's hands snipped one last time as hair fell to the concrete floor.

"How's that?" She asked me and I shook my head.

"Light." Standing up, I spun in my heel, feeling the air on my skin from the movement. "Cool."

"I'll take that as it's good." She chuckled.

"Yes." Nodding, I ran my fingers through my short hair, finding relief in how it wasn't so heavy and blocking my view anymore.

~

I keenly watched the Betas training with the Alpha. Boyd sat on the stairs, not getting involved whereas Isaac and Erica continuously tried to attack Derek either head on or stealthily. Each time they got close enough to the Alpha, he'd grab them and swiftly throw them to the ground.

Over and over again, Isaac and Erica would hit the ground until it seemed the Alpha had had enough, rolling his eyes while pacing.

"Does anyone want to try not being _completely_ predictable?" He questioned and I stood up from where I sat, walking over to where I saw Isaac start out every time. The Alpha quirked up his brow, but said nothing.

"Do I?" Pointing to the makeshift course Isaac ran through, I questioned if I had to do it as well. Derek shook his head.

"Just come at me." He replied as the two Betas on the floor picked themselves up and went to where Boyd was on the stairs. Rolling my shoulders, my focus zeroed in on the Alpha as he stood a few yards away, waiting for me. Running, I went straight for him before jumping to the pole like I had seen Isaac do. Derek moved to throw me down like he had the Betas, but I twisted mid-air, catching his jaw with the back of my heel.

The Alpha's head jerked to the side as the other three were looking at me with wide eyes. When Derek turned back to look at me, he wiped his bloody lip with his thumb before it started to heal.

"I underestimated you." He said before jerking up his chin. "Again." Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I dove, driving my shoulder into his gut while pushing him back until he firmly planted his feet down. The Alpha grabbed my sides, yanking me off of the ground before spinning to throw me.

As soon as my feet hit the concrete again, however, I went right at the Alpha again and I caught how his eyes flashed red before he ducked to avoid me. I spun, swinging at Derek faster than he could dodge as my knuckles crashed against his cheek. I didn't give him time to recover, striking him in the gut before kicking his legs out from under him.

Digging my knee into his chest, I pinned him to the floor while grinning as he looked up at me with surprise.

"Pack now? Yes?" I asked, but a hand shot out, wrapping around my throat as Derek twisted off of the floor and slammed me down onto it.

"Why do you want a pack so badly?" He growled.

"Dangerous alone."

"You've been alone for a long time- why _now_?"

"Heard it."

"Heard what?"

"Derek-"

"Heard _what_?" The Alpha continued, not letting the Beta cut in.

"The call. Scream." I answered, not fighting against the Alpha's hold on me.

"Whose?"

"Don't know."

"So you just heard a scream and thought you should find an Alpha? How does that make sense?"

"Loud. Stab." I pointed to my ear while cringing. "Can't ignore. Warning- in the gut." The man seemed to pause while thinking.

"Lydia's scream." He mumbled before lifting his hand from my throat.

"Are we done? 'Cause I got about 100 bones that need a few hours to heal." Isaac questioned and Derek turned his attention to the Beta. He gave a small nod, standing up and going over to the male, holding out his hand and gesturing for Isaac to do the same. Sitting up, I curiously watched what was about to happen.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I heard a loud snap and the Beta screaming from the Alpha breaking his arm.

"101." He held Isaac down as he was squirming. "You think I'm teaching you how to _fight_? Huh?! Look at me!" Derek raised his voice. "I'm teaching you how to _survive_." He let the Beta go and took a few steps away.

"If they wanted to kill us, why aren't they coming for us now?" Isaac questioned, cradling his arm. "What are they waiting for?"

"I don't know. But they're planning something. _You_ especially know that's not our only problem. Whatever that thing is that killed Isaac's father, I think it killed someone else last night. Until I find out what it is, you all need to learn everything that I know....as fast as I can teach you."

"So it really wasn't her mauling people?" Eyes turned to me as I was just quietly listening to the wolves.

"Apparently not. But that doesn't mean she's not still dangerous."

"I am." I stated. "Dangerous."

"....How?" Erica's voice was quiet as she looked at me. Parting my lips to show my mouth full of sharp teeth, I tapped one of my canines.

"Predator."

"And we still don't know what kind." The Alpha added before going into the broken down bus.

~

It was rather quiet now that the Alpha and the Betas were gone. I didn't know where they were, but I overheard something about a game and talking to someone called Stiles.

Crunching and clinking metal filled the silence from the ripped open bag of chips I was devouring and the broken chains dangling from my wrists and neck. The pack didn't want to risk me running off and thought chaining me down would insure I would be where they had left me when they all returned. However, breaking the chains had been no obstacle when my stomach started growling.

I mean, yeah, I could leave whenever I wanted and go back to the woods, but then I'd be alone and left out there with the human killer. I didn't know what it was but I _knew_ it was dangerous even to me.

Stuffing my mouth with the cheesy tasting chips, they crunched loudly between my teeth as I chewed, but I still heard multiple pairs of feet coming down the stairs along with voices.

"But you said it didn't know who or what it is!"

"It's not the same. It didn't have silver eyes."

"Oh, so the kanima showing up here the same time she does is just, what, a coincidence?"

"Look, Isaac, we both know she's chained up, right? Right. So unless she can be in two places at once, there's no way she's the kanima." The lights suddenly turned on and I squinted against the brightness to let my eyes adjust. The pack of wolves stood at the bottom of the stairs now, looking at me as my hand was dug into a chip bag.

"You were saying?"

"Shut up." The Alpha growled before advancing on me. "How did you get out?"

"Broke chains." I calmly replied.

"Why?" He growled and I paused before lifting my hand covered in orange crumbs.

"Hungry. Chips smelt good."

"She's eating my Doritos." Boyd mumbled under his breath before Erica elbowed him in the side.

"Did you leave here _at all_?" Derek pointed at the floor and I was a bit lost as to why he was angry.

"No. Human killer out there."

"You mean _you?_ " Isaac popped off and my eyes snapped to him.

"Not me."

"How do you know?"

"Don't feed on humans."

"And how do we know you're not lying? Or just blacking out?"

"Not me!"

"So you say. But how do _we_ know that? We don't know _anything_ about you! Hell, you don't even seem to know either."

"Don't feed on humans!" I repeated, baring my teeth at the Beta.

"Even on a full moon?!"

"Isaac-"

"Never!" I growled. "Stupid. Hunters come. Don't feed on humans!"

"If you're not the kanima, then what the Hell _are_ you? Huh? You can't even tell us that! You're just some crazy lady running around the woods- who knows what you do."

"Not crazy!" I growled louder now, feeling the vibration deep in my chest.

"You're a lunatic-" The Beta cut himself off as I lunged at him, teeth bared and growling. The Alpha caught the chain around my neck before I reached the Beta, holding me back as I flexed my claws.

"Isaac, now would be the time to _shut up_."

"You see this? _This_ is exactly what I mean! She's fucking crazy, you guys can't seriously let her stay here. She's an _animal_!" The sound of bones grinding and snapping filled the air as I shifted, swinging around and knocking the Alpha down before turning on the Beta now that the chain was freed.

The others were shouting, but Isaac screamed as I pinned him to the floor, curling up into the fetal position as I snarled. My fangs were close to his throat as drool dripped from my long tongue.

"Not. An. Animal." I growled, watching the Beta show submissive body language.

"Stop! Wait! Wait, wait, wait!" Isaac raised his hands. "I wasn't serious! I-I was just trying to provoke you!"

"....Provoke...."

"To prove you weren't the Kanima! I swear, I didn't mean any of it." Huffing, I backed off the Beta, standing up as my ears were perked. My eyes drifted to Erica and Boyd, seeing that they were cowered by the stairs while holding onto each other. Looking over my shoulder, the Alpha's eyes were burning red as he bared his teeth.

"If you want to be in this pack, you follow the _pack_ , do you understand me?" He snarled. "I don't know what the fuck you are, but you do _not_ attack the Betas." Derek raised a hand, pointing to the back of the wide open room. "Go. I'll figure out what to do with you later."

My ears turned back as I followed the Alphas orders. I needed the pack, but the pack didn't me when they already had each other.

I'd need to keep my temper under control if I wanted to stay where it was safe.


	6. Kanima

"What happened to you on the night of the full moon?" Derek questioned as Isaac and Erica held a young male in place. Listening, I fiddled with the long sleeves on the oversized shirt I wore, sitting in one of the old bus seats with my feet up.

"What? Nothing." The stranger replied. "Nothing happened."

"You're lying." The Alpha calmly stated.

"Wait! No, wait! I-I can prove it. I taped myself."

"You taped yourself?" Isaac chuckled.

"Yes. It was the full moon. And while you were crying in the corner and having an existential crisis about being a monster, I was preparing for the so called _gift_ your big bad Alpha promised me. But what do I get? Nothing." He replied with irritation. "You want proof? Let me get the video."

"Not human." I mumbled, speaking lowly while picking at the sewn hem on the sleeve.

"What was that?" Derek questioned from the outside of the bus and I paused- I wouldn't get into trouble, would I?

"Not human." Speaking clearly, I heard a scoff.

"Why don't you come out here?" Looking to the nearest door on the old bus, I hesitated. "Come on." Placing my feet onto the floor, I stood up and exited the bus. "Now....who's not human?"

"All."

"Who the Hell are you?"

"Got the bite." I pointed at the stranger while looking at the Alpha and he nodded.

"Yeah, and _nothing_ happened."

"Did." Looking at the young male the two Betas held onto, I rubbed my nose. "Not human."

"Bullshit. It didn't work- I'm not a werewolf."

"No. Not wolf." I shook my head and the wolves exchanged looks as the stranger stared at me.

"Is this chick stupid or something?"

"Hold on." The Alpha turned to me and jerked his chin up. "If he's not human and not wolf, what are you saying he is?" Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I tried to think.

"Don't know."

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but that sounds like what we're looking for, doesn't it?" Derek stood up, holding a shard of glass in his hands as he wore gloves. "You know, Jackson, you've always been kind of a snake." Isaac and Erica forced the stranger to his knees while opening his mouth. "And everyone knows a snake can't be poisoned by it's own venom." The Alpha tilted the glass towards the stranger's mouth and I saw a clear liquid drip from the shard's tip.

Isaac closed the guy's mouth before letting him go and Erica just let him fall to the ground as his body was going rigid. The wolves stepped back, looking down at the stranger as he was left unmoving on the floor. The Alpha sighed through his nose before crouching.

"You're still a snake, Jackson. Just not the one we're lookin' for."

~

"Where are you going?"

"Cramped."

"Get back in the car."

" _Cramped_."

"Back. In. The. Car." Derek glared at me and I matched the intensity of his gaze. We stood on either side of the vehicle just outside the school, neither of us wavering or looking away from each other. It was a battle of wills it seemed, the Alpha trying to assert his dominance and I refusing to submit. I wasn't getting back into the car- it was cramped and smelled foul and made me nauseous.

His eyes flashed red as he gave a warning growl, and my own eyes went silver as I snarled.

"I don't have time for your childishness, get back in the fucking car and stay there."

"Not boss." I growled.

"I may not be your boss, but I _am_ your Alpha, so get. In."

"My Alpha?" I stopped snarling and the dark haired male rolled his eyes.

"Yes, now will you listen to me?" Narrowing my eyes at Derek, I opened the car door.

"Alpha?"

" _Yes_." Giving a sharp nod, I got into the vehicle and closed the door. "Oh, my God." The Alpha sighed before turning around and leaning his back onto the driver side door. Chewing on my bottom lip, I just waited for whatever the Alpha was waiting on.

Sighing through my nose, time seemed to drag on until Derek leaned off of the car and made to move before leaning down and looking at me through the window.

"Stay." He pointed. "Do _not_ go anywhere. Understand?" I nodded as he seemed to be debating something before he just left. Huffing, I put my feet up on the dash while looking out of the window to the woods just a few yards away. I wanted to go for a run but....

At least I had pack now.

Resting my head back against the chair, I watched the brown leaves rustling and falling from the trees with the breeze. The sun peaking through the clouds was warm on my skin as I was left waiting yet again.

Hearing an engine, I raised my head and turned to see a blue vehicle going by with a familiar human behind the wheel. I perked up in the seat- Was the Alpha here to find the human and the other wolf? I hadn't seen them since I was caught in the net....

But if the Alpha was here for them, the human was leaving. Glancing the way Derek had walked off to, I turned back to the blue vehicle going through the parking lot. Thinking quickly, I climbed out of the car and went after the human.

~

Standing in front of the dark, wooden door, I reached for the doorknob before pausing- No. That wasn't how this was done. _'Think, what was the custom?'_ I pulled my hand back as my brows furrowed. _'You have to be let in.... But how do you let them know you're here?'_ Racking my brain, it finally popped into my head and I hit my fist onto the door, creating a loud banging noise.

 _'Look at me! Remembering human customs!'_ I felt proud as I waited on the porch before hearing locks clicking and a chain rattling.

"....Can I help you?"

"Human." I nodded as he narrowed his brown eyes at me.

"Yea- Oh, my God. _What are you doing here?_ " He hissed at me, stepping out onto the porch while looking around. "Oh, this is not good. Does Derek know you're here?"

"....No."

"Ah. Well, uh, you look a lot better." He ushered me into the house before locking all of the locks and shoving a chair under the doorknob. "What exactly are you doing here?" I pointed at him and he then pointed at himself as well. "Me?"

"Followed."

"Follow- You followed me." He cleared his throat. "Was chasing me through the woods not enough for you?"

"Fun." I grinned and the male's shoulders slumped.

"Look here, lady, I'm not some monster toy, got it? And you really shouldn't-"

"Stiles?" My attention turned to a young brunette female looking at us with confusion. "What's going on?"

"Ahhh, about that." The human male scratched his head while making a face. "This is, uh, this....is my cousin! Yeah, my cousin. She, um, she's sort of visiting."

"Human." I pointed at the girl and her brows furrowed.

"That's right....Yolanda, she's a human. Sorry, she doesn't speak much English. We got her a book, but, uh, still workin' on it."

"Stiles."

"Yeah?"

"She's the feral lady from school, isn't she?"

"....Yeah, she is." He pointed before sighing.

"You're a terrible liar." The girl chuckled, making the male laugh as well.

"I think I did pretty good, if you ask me."

"Scott told me about you. Hi, I'm Allison." The brunette female smiled and held out her hand to me and I just stared at it and her.

"You, uh, you shake it." My face lit up with a look of understanding and I grabbed the girl's wrist and shook her hand.

"Hi."

"No," Allison laughed. "like this." She gently took my hand and put our palms together while closing her fingers.

"I gotta say, she was a lot scarier chasing me."

"I'm sure she was."

"Was. Snapping. Growling."

"What she said. But now we have to keep her away from Lydia."

"....Right. Jackson has her upstairs- that should work for now, right?" The girl questioned and I turned to the boy with my hand out. He glanced from my hand to me and I bared my teeth in the friendly manner I had seen the girl do.

"Hi."

"....Hi." He spoke with uncertainty while shaking my head and the girl laughed.

"Name."

"Name? You mean my- Uh, Stiles. What about your name?"

"Don't know."

"You don't know your own name?"

"Forgot. Didn't need."

"Wow, Derek wasn't kidding. You _really_ don't know anything."

"Do." I furrowed my brows while pointing at him. "Human. Friend of wolf. Brought Alpha."

"Okay you know *some* things."

"Stiles.... They're here."

"What?" The humans were now looking out of the windows on either side of the door, and I could smell the stress and anxiety coming off of them. "Great." Looking over the male's shoulder, I saw the Alpha and the Betas standing outside in the street.

"Alpha."

"Yes, that's," He sighed. "that's the Alpha. Jesus." He ran his hand over his head before glancing to Allison. "What are you doing?"

"I think....I think I have to call my dad."

"Yeah, but if he finds you here, you and Scott-"

"I know. What are we supposed to do? They're not here to scare us, okay? They're here to _kill_ Lydia."

"....Stiles." He glanced at me while raising his eyebrows. "Isaac in."

"In? In where?"

"Here." The Beta answered, grabbing the human by the back of his jacket and throwing him down. He advanced on Stiles, eyes glowing and teeth bared as the human tried to scramble away.

"No." I stood between them. "Friend of wolf." Pointing at Stiles, I looked at Isaac as he growled at me.

"You need to move."

" _Friend of wolf_."

"Yeah, well, he's not my friend. Get out of the way." Isaac flashed his fangs at me and a warning growl built deep in my chest. The Beta began to look wary as the noise rose in volume and my eyes turned silver.

"Kill human, hunters come. Stupid." I stated as Stiles tried to escape while he had the chance. Isaac lunged for him, but I easily stopped the Beta by placed a hand onto his chest. Baring my teeth, I growled close to his ear as my claws grew out. I could feel Isaac's heart pick up pace rapidly as I smelt the fear. I couldn't properly say what I wanted to- not in a way they could really understand- but a wolf understood growling. A wolf understood bared fangs and a wolf damn well understood when it was being challenged.

But Isaac knew....he knew what I could turn into and he knew he didn't stand a chance against me.

"Not. Stiles." I snarled. "Back. _Off_." The heart beneath my palm was racing and I grabbed the front of his shirt, dragging him to the front door and into the yard. Pushing the Beta towards the Alpha, I saw the looks on their faces.

"What the Hell are you doing here?!"

"Don't kill humans!"

"You idiot! The kanima is in there! That _thing_ is going to kill _us_ if we don't kill it first."

"Don't kill _humans_." I bared my teeth while pointing to the house behind me. "Stiles- human. Allison- human."

"Yeah? What about the other two? Huh?" Derek rose his voice, looking down at me with clear anger and irritation. I went quiet- the other two....the two upstairs....I didn't know. "That's what I thought."

I jolted when I suddenly heard sirens, looking off into the direction they were coming from before my attention was drawn back to the house as there was a clattering on the roof. A beast with reptilian skin on all fours was going across the roof, a long tail behind it being used to keep balance. It saw us and turned in our direction, hissing loudly while showing a number of dagger-like teeth in it's mouth before running off.

Stiles and Allison had been in the yard to witness it, and right after it was gone, a redheaded female came stomping onto the porch.

"Would someone _please_ tell me what the _Hell_ is going on?!"


	7. Ash and Wolfsbane

"I told you to stay in the damn car! And what do you do? Exactly the opposite!" The Alpha yelled. "Why do you refuse to do anything anyone tells you?! Not only that, but your interfering let the kanima escape! You know- the _human killer_ you're so scared of?! The _only_ reason you came out of those damn woods?!"

"I-"

"I don't want to hear it. You wanted an Alpha, a pack, and I gave it to you. I've put up with growling, the snapping, _everything_ you've done since you got here, and what do I get in return? Defiance. Retaliation. You know, it doesn't make it any easier that _no one_ actually understands what the _Hell_ you say because you never say more than three words at a time!" Derek shouted while waving his hands as I stood there. My fists were balled tight at my sides as I was glaring- Fine. If he didn't want to talk, I wouldn't talk. But I wasn't just going to let the bigger man yell at me because he was pissed.

Baring my teeth, I roared at him, shaking the air around me as my eyes glowed in the dimly lit room. The Alpha clenched his jaw as his eyes turned a deep red and he roared right back but louder. He understood me clearly when I didn't try to speak English- that I could tell from how he was glaring and flashing his teeth. I roared again, and it became a back and forth thing as we argued without even speaking.

~

"Will you just tell us who else was in the house?" Erica questioned, her hands on her hips as she looked down at me as I was curled up in an old tire with a hole filled blanket. I just huffed out a gust of air through my nose without replying. "Look, I get you're pissed off with Derek, but _now_ really isn't the time to be doing this."

Clenching my jaw, I turned away from her.

"You know, for being an adult, you do _not_ act like one." I ignored her, but she kept talking. "Look, the full moon is coming and we won't be able to help Derek. He will _die_ if we don't stop the kanima first." Glancing to the blonde, her brows rose as she nodded. "Yeah, that thing will tear him apart if he goes in alone."

"....Boy." I mumbled.

"A boy? It was a boy? Okay, who was he?"

"Not human."

"Clearly, but _who_?" Erica asked and I made a face out of frustration. The language barrier was becoming ever more difficult the longer I stayed around people. "Lady, the faster we can deal with the Kanima, the faster you can go back to the woods. That's what you want, right?"

"Boy. Not human. Snake. Don't know name." I said and Erica gave a frustrated sigh.

~

I ran when I heard screaming and wailing, nearly breaking the door on the bus as I went in and saw Erica on the floor with Stiles holding her up.

"I still gotta get the venom out- this is where it's really gonna hurt." The Alpha stated before digging his claws into Erica's arm, making her bleed as she screamed even louder. "Go get some water." Derek turned to me and didn't have to tell me twice as I went to find water.

When I came back, Erica was already starting to heal but was sweaty and panting while in Stiles's arms. Crouching down beside the two of them, I held onto the water while looking to the human.

Handing it over, he nodded to me while getting Erica to sit up.

"Hey." His voice was low as he brought the water closer to her face. "Need you to drink some, okay?" Turning my head, I looked to the Alpha and the other wolf talking outside the bus.

I needed to stop being scared.

I couldn't play it safe anymore.

~

"What are they doing here?"

"I need them." The Alpha stated.

"I don't trust them."

"Yeah, well, don't trust you either." Isaac popped off.

"You know what? And Derek _really_ doesn't care. Now where's the vet? He gonna help us or not?"

"That depends." My attention shifted to the source of the new voice. "Your friend Jackson- Are we planning to kill him...or save him?"

"Save him."

"Kill him."

" _Save him_." The other wolf gave Derek a look. "Save him." The stranger nodded, going into the room behind him as we followed. We gathered around a silver table as the man set down a tray of small, glass containers. Isaac, out of curiosity, went to pick one up before the Alpha grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"Watch what you touch."

"So," The curly haired Beta crossed his arms while leaning onto the table instead. "what are you, some kind of witch?"

"No. I'm a veterinarian. Unfortunately, I don't see anything here that's gonna be an effective defense against a paralytic toxin."

"We're open to suggestions."

"What about an effective offense?"

"We already tried. I nearly took it's head off and Argent emptied an entire clip into it- the thing just gets back up."

"Has it shown any weaknesses?" The stranger furrowed his brows while looking at the Alpha.

"Well, one. It can't swim."

"Does that go for Jackson as well?"

"No. He's the captain of the swim team."

"Essentially, you're trying to capture two people." The man stated before going to a drawer and digging something out. He turned back to us, holding up a strange medallion. "A puppet. And a puppeteer." He placed the object onto the table. "One killed the husband, but the other had to take care of the wife. Do we know why?" They went quiet and I scratched the back of my head while looking at the medallion.

"Pregnant." I spoke up, drawing attention to myself. "Don't kill innocent." Looking up when I felt the stares, I shrugged. "Overheard."

"Who are you, exactly?"

"Oh, right, uh...." The male on the opposite end of the table shifted on his feet, but Isaac answered for him.

"We have no clue, actually." The stranger quirked up a brow. "Apparently she's been livin' naked in the woods since she was a kid, but kinda got drove out when she- I don't know if 'sensed' is the right word- but when she felt the kanima was here."

"Actually, she was brought here by Lydia's scream before she went on her fugue run, then came looking for a pack when she found out about the kanima."

"Though, she didn't know it was the kanima at the time, just something dangerous."

"....Actually, maybe you might know what she is."

"She's not a werewolf?"

"Not a wolf."

"Do you not know what you are?" The stranger turned to me.

"Predator."

"Okay. Can you tell me what it is that you can do?" He questioned- I liked this stranger. He actually talked to me.

"Teeth. Claws. Fur. Tail."

"Have you ever seen Van Helsing?" Isaac narrowed his eyes while shifting his weight on his feet. "She pretty much turns into the werewolves in that movie."

"It's nothing like Peter, though. And her eyes turn silver."

"Silver?" That seemed to pique the man's interest.

"Wait, she _what_?"

"Yeah, Scott. She's like a more badass version of us."

"Except she's not even a werewolf." The Alpha stated.

"....And you've seen this?" The stranger asked and both Derek and Isaac nodded. "I'm not certain, but let me do some digging and I might find something." He glanced to me and I had a feeling he knew something but he wasn't telling what it was. "Now, the book says they're bonded, right?" He gestured to the medallion, turning the conversation back to Jackson and his master. "What if the fear of water isn't coming from Jackson, but from the person controlling him? What if...." He grabbed a jar and popped the lid off. "something that effects the kanima also effects its master?" He poured a black powder around the medallion.

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning we can catch them. Both of them."

"Both is good." I nodded, and as we were leaving, the stranger wanted to speak to the Alpha in private while Isaac and I were lead out by the other wolf. Looking over my shoulder, I couldn't help but overhear the stranger's hushed voice.

"Derek, I want to ask you to keep a close eye on that woman."

"Kind of already doing that."

"No, I mean _really_ close. I....have a hunch, and if I'm right," The man sighed as my brows furrowed. "we may find ourselves dealing with something much worse than the kanima."

~

"I need you to listen to me very carefully." Derek looked at me as he turned the car off, and my hand paused over the red button that would release the seat belt. "You are going to have to _stay_ in the car." I opened my mouth to say something but the Alpha's gaze hardened to keep me quiet. "We can't take any risks with this. You stay _in here_ unless you're called for, do you understand?"

"....Unless called for." I mumbled, leaning back in the seat as my shoulders slumped.

"Isaac and Erica are in there with the kanima, do you want to put them at even more risk than they already are?"

"....No."

"Then listen to me. No running off, no getting into trouble, none of that- Just stay here."

"Unless called for." I sighed.

"Exactly." Derek looked at me for a few seconds more before turning in his seat and getting out of the car.

"Wait!" I leaned over my seat to the driver's side before he closed the door and he leaned down to look back at me.

"What?"

"Will call?"

"....If you're needed, you will be called for." He nodded and closed the door, walking away with Boyd right at his side. Silence fell as I watched the two get further and further away while music pumped from the building nearby.

Sighing through my nose, I let my head hit the back of the passenger seat. Tapping the red button, I released the seat belt to get as comfortable as possible, putting my feet up on the dash while slouching in the chair. Closing my eyes, I listened to the thumping music from the party Isaac and Erica were infiltrating.

I jolted when I suddenly heard gunshots, my head whipping around in the direction the noise came from. Going for the door, my hand closed around the handle, but I froze before pushing the door open.

_'We can't take any risks with this.'_ My mind echoed. ' _....stay in the car.'_ Biting my bottom lip, my grip on the handle tightened. _'If you're needed, you will be called for.'_ There was a soft thud from my forehead hitting the window and my hands fell into my lap. I would have to trust- I think that was the word- in the pack. Trust in the Alpha's words. If they needed me, I would be called for.

Groaning, I looked around outside but saw nothing but cars, concrete, and bricks. I missed the trees....the fresh air and the feeling of the Earth beneath my feet, but until the woods were safe again I couldn't go back. And since I couldn't go back yet, I'd have to adhere to these new rules and the way of the wolves.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as a howl drowned out the music I could hear. Stumbling out of the car, I bolted- It wasn't the Alpha calling, but it was definitely one of the Betas. Shifting as I ran, my clothes tore and I dropped to all fours to go faster.

I ran right past the Alpha and Stiles as they were arguing, but the human screamed before I was skidding around the corner. Bursting into a building, my vision went hazy from the fog filling the room, but I could see a wolf lying face down on the ground. Standing up, I went to the wolf, coughing on the smoke that had a sickly sweet scent to it.

Lights were strobing and I bared my teeth at the sudden, sharp pain in my shoulder. Turning, I saw an older woman with a dagger, ready to stab me again with eyes that burned with rage.

A hunter.

She swung her arm and I swiped with my claws, knocking the blade from her hand while leaving deep cuts on her wrist. Roaring, I saw her eyes go wide as I snapped my jaws, but my teeth only closed around air as she ran away. My breathing was becoming labored, but I forced myself to let the hunter go- the Beta needed me more.

Bending down, I rolled him over, picking him up by his shoulders and the backs of his knees. Coughing again, I padded out of the room listening to the wolf's shallow breaths and slow heartbeat. Whatever that smoke was, it had to be some kind of poison, but I didn't know what exactly.

"Scott!" I heard voices shouting. " _Scott!_ " My blurry vision made out Stiles's face first before I saw the Alpha and the rest of the pack. "Ho- my God, what is that?!"

"What happened?!" Derek ran right up to me, looking at the Beta with wide eyes, but I fell to my knees while coughing. The wolf was taken from my arms as I was hacking and trying to breathe, but it felt like my lungs were on fire and full of cotton. I couldn't keep my form as my bones ground and shifted back into human shape. "Shit! Get them to the car!" And everything went dark since I could hardly breathe.


	8. Worm Moon

"Thank you." I barely glanced over my shoulder to the Beta standing a few feet away. "You really....you really helped me back there." Grunting in reply, I rubbed the back of my neck. "What, uh, what happened to-"

"Hunter?"

"Yeah. The hunter."

"Ran."

"She ran away?"

"Didn't want bite. Big teeth." I pointed to myself and he nodded in understanding.

"Well....thanks. I mean it." He said with sincerity before walking away. Quiet returned for a minute before I heard footsteps and the Alpha speaking up.

"We saw what you did."

"Was called."

"I don't mean leaving the car." He scoffed. "I mean with the mountain ash. You ran right over it- like it wasn't even there. And yet, the _wolfsbane_ worked on you when the ash did _nothing_."

"Stung."

"What?"

"Ash. Like wasp."

"But it still didn't stop you."

"No."

"Why?" Derek questioned and I didn't have an answer for him. I didn't know, so I simply shrugged. "Okay, how about the wolfsbane? You're not a werewolf, yet you reacted to it just like one. Want to explain that?" I didn't say anything and the Alpha just stood there looking at me. "Did the hunter really run?" Nodding, I heard him take a step closer while dropping his voice. "Is she still alive?"

I finally turned, looking Derek in the eye as my face was stoic in expression. Taking in a deep breath through my nose, I verbally replied.

"No."

"What did you do?"

"Protect."

"I mean, how is she dead if she ran?"

"Bled out. Claws went deep. Humans can't heal- not like beasts." My jaw clenched as I stood up while fiddling with the ends of my sleeves. "More will come. Kill a human, hunters come." My nose scrunched up and I hit myself in the head. "Stupid! _Stupid!_ "

"Whoa, hey! What are you doing?!"

"Killed a human! Killed a hunter!" I growled, digging my claws into my scalp out of frustration. "More will come! Pack will die!"

"No one's going to die." The Alpha grabbed my wrists, pulling my hands away as blood coated my fingertips. "Okay? Just calm-"

"No! _Will_ die." I snarled, balling my hands into fists. "Burn everything! Pack _will_ die!"

"Wait, wait, wait- burn everything?" His eyebrows knit together as he looked at me before something seemed to click. "That's what happened to you, isn't it?" I didn't say anything and dropped my gaze to the floor while clenching my jaw. "Where did you live? Before the woods, I mean."

"....Here."

"Here? In Beacon Hills?"

"Beacon Hills."

~

"What's this?" Isaac asked, touching the symbol painted on the underside of the trunk lid after Derek had opened it.

"It's a triskele." Boyd pointed. "The spirals mean different things. Past, present, future. Mother, father, child."

"Know what it means to me?" The Alpha questioned.

"Alpha, Beta, Omega?"

"That's right." Derek stood up. "The spiral reminds us that we can rise to one and fall to another. Betas can become Alphas, but Alpha can also fall to Beta and even Omega."

"Like Scott?"

"Scott's with us."

"Really? Where is he now?"

"He's looking for Jackson. Don't worry, he's not gonna have it easy tonight either. None of us are." The Alpha reached into the trunk and I heard chains clinking.

"Except for her." Erica stated off while looking at me.

"She's not a werewolf. But even so, there's too many similarities to think the moon won't have sway. She's still a shape shifter." Derek pulled out restraints and continued to talk. "There's a price you pay for this kind of power. You get the ability to heal, but tonight you're gonna want to kill anything you can find."

"Good thing I had my period last week then." Erica popped off.

"Well, this one's for you." The Alpha held up a metal ring with pointed screws about 4 inches long sticking through the holes in the ring.

"And which one is for her?" Isaac asked while looking into the trunk.

"Don't need." I spoke up, sliding my hands into the pockets of the sweatpants I wore. "Control the urge while young."

"Gotta say, that's actually a relief."

"What if we break free?" Boyd questioned as Derek was setting up the chains and binds in the broken down bus.

"You'll do anything you can to get out of here. Probably try to kill me, then kill each other, and kill anything else with a heartbeat. I need you to hold her." Derek turned to Erica and Isaac got the blonde into a lock while bracing his feet onto the ground.

"So how come she gets to wear the headband?"

"Because she'll be able to withstand more pain than the two of you. Got an extra one if you really want it."

"I'll pass." Isaac shook his head while making a face.

"You ready?"

"Yeah." Erica nodded and the Alpha placed the metal ring onto her head. Nothing happened at first, but the female began to shout in pain as Derek tightened the screws until blood began to flow from her forehead. Boyd had to turn away and the Beta's shrieks made my ears ring.

Once she was bound, Derek took Isaac to a seat in the bus and started chaining him down.

"How do you not feel this?" The Beta asked while Erica and Boyd were struggling against the moon's pull as it was rising to it's peak outside.

"I feel every second of it." Derek snapped.

"Then how do you control it?"

"Find an anchor. Something meaningful to you. Bind yourself to it, keeps your human side in control."

"What is it for you?"

"Anger. But it doesn't have to be that for everybody."

"Like Scott?"

"Yeah."

"What about you?" Isaac turned to me while chuckling. "Gotta wonder what you've got as an anchor."

"Sister."

"You have a sister?" The Beta made a face while the Alpha looked at me.

"Had. Burned."

"....Oh."

"That should do it." Derek said while tugging on the chains to make sure they'd hold. However, he simply pulled on one chain and it broke the bus divider. _'Oh, shit.'_ I thought, turning to the other two Betas growling. Their eyes were glowing as their fangs were bared, but they had yet to turn all of the way.

Quickly getting out of the bus, the Alpha forced the doors shut and dug into his pocket for his cellphone as I heard the banging and growling of the struggling Betas.

"Scott, can you to call me back? I'm probably gonna need some help." Something snapped and creaked in the bus as Derek lowered his phone. "Definitely gonna need some help."

Erica was the first one bursting out of the bus, then Isaac as he jumped through a window and Boyd was right behind them. Sighing, I shook my head as my fangs grew and my eyes turned silver. Shifting as they ran at the Alpha, I stepped between them and roared with everything I had.

I had my ears straight up and my tail in attack position, and the intensity of my roar rattled the air as I heard metal shaking. The Betas, even feral from the moon, took a step back, wary now as they growled at me. Lowering my head, I snarled, running my tongue over my sharp teeth as my hackles raised.

Something seemed to change in Isaac, though, and he started grunting and holding his head. Clarity seemed to come back into his eyes, and he turned to the other two as they lunged at me.

I was faster than them, grabbing Boyd and Erica by their throats before slamming them down onto the ground. Claws tore into my arms, causing blood to pour and fly as I grit my teeth. Lifting them up, I slammed them back down only harder this time, and as their heads hit the concrete their bodies went slack now that they were unconscious.

Grunting as I stood up, I drug the two Betas back onto the bus.

"Or maybe not." Derek popped off while Isaac quietly trailed after me. He had somehow found his anchor in the last minute, but I was thankful since I only had two hands.

"Don't know." I turned to the sane Beta after dropping Erica and Boyd to point at the chains.

"I'll get it." He replied, speaking softly and I backed away from the knocked out wolves. Looking down at my bleeding arms, I started to lick my wounds clean as they slowly began to heal.

~

Kicking the door in, I walked into the police station that reeked of death and blood. The Alpha was in here and in danger- I hadn't noticed at first when he'd gone missing, the Betas had me too preoccupied, but once I did I was following his scent trail.

It had taken me some time to find him, but my nose was keen and the full moon only amplified my senses. Growling lowly, I walked past the mauled human laying in a pool of blood. Raising my head, I sniffed the air- the kanima was here.

Padding over the tiled floor, I followed Derek's scent until I found him along with Stiles on the floor.

"Oh, thank god, you're here." The human sighed. "Sorry about screaming the last time I saw you, didn't really, uh, recognize you."

"Stiles. Shut up."

"Got it."

"I need you to get the venom out." The Alpha looked at me from the corner of his eye since he was paralyzed from the neck down.

"How?" I crouched down beside him and he looked to his arm.

"I'm gonna need you to make me bleed."

"Like Erica."

"Exactly like Erica. Think you can do that?"

"Dude, why do you talk to her like a child?"

"To make sure she understands."

"Trust me, she can understan-" Stiles was cut off from Derek grunting in pain as my claws dug into his arm. Blood pooled onto the floor just before the lights went out and a the backup lights flicked on along with an alarm. My ears perked, listening closely before I dropped down over the two males. Gunfire drowned out the alarm as bullets rained in from outside, breaking the windows and destroying anything in their path.

Something was thrown in and smoke filled the room at a rapid pace. The Alpha began to move, rolling onto his side while pushing himself up off of the floor.

"Get him out of here!" He told me and I scooped up the human into my arms with ease.

"But kanima-"

"Come back when he's out of the way." Giving one last look to the Alpha, I then turned and ducked into the hall.

"I can't believe I'm paralyzed and being carried by a monster chick like a princess." Stiles groaned.

"Surrounded."

"What?"

"Surrounded. Can't get out."

"Go left." I hesitated, but did as the human instructed. "There's an interrogation room on the right at the end of the hall. You can leave me in there." Giving a sharp nod, I went down the hall and to the right, finding a room with a large mirror on one wall. Placing him down onto the table, I double checked to make sure he'd be safe. "Alright, furball. Go kick some ass for me, would ya?" Stiles chuckled, but I could tell he was worried and scared.

"Yes." I nodded again before leaving the room and shutting the door behind me. Dropping to all fours, I stalked back down the hall to find the kanima. I kept my head level with my shoulders, ears alert and listening as I smelled the air.

I heard screaming and bolted towards the noise. The kanima was clinging to the bars on a cell where I woman was trapped, a man was knocked out on the floor, and the Alpha was unconscious in the corner. Grabbing the reptile by his tail, I yanked him off of the bars and threw him across the room. Roaring at the other beast, the kanima scrambled out through the nearest door.

I ignored the humans, they weren't my concern, and I picked up the Alpha and threw him over my shoulder before going the way the kanima had gone.

Entering the parking lot, I growled- the beast had escaped yet again. That would have to be dealt with later, however, because right now I had to get the Alpha and myself out of there.


	9. Teeth of Bone

Hearing footsteps coming down the stairs, I stood up when I saw Stiles with a backpack hanging off one of his shoulders. He glanced around, walking towards me calmly.

"Where's everyone else?"

"Gone."

"Know when they'll be back?"

"No."

"I don't have long since I have a game tonight, but....thought you should know I finally got some answers." Stiles slid off his bag and unzipped it, digging through it to pull something out. He set down some papers and books, pointing at them while looking at me. "You actually used to go to Beacon Hills Elementary. Your name's Dakota, by the way." He scoffed. "Dakota Lycaon. You may not be a werewolf, but you've got to be something pretty close."

"Dakota...."

"Yup." Stiles cleared his throat. "Your sister is in here too- Lisa." His expression fell as he dropped his gaze and zipped his bag back up. "I, uh....I found the news articles about your family. What happened to them. I don't know if you can actually read or not, but your parents were Lucius and Mary- they're all in there. In these." He gestured to the books and papers while slinging the bag back onto his shoulder. "I don't think I'll be able to find out what you are though, but at least I could find out who-"

The human stopped talking since I had hugged him. He was tense, but I was fighting to not cry. Dakota. I was Dakota. My family- Lucius, Mary, and Lisa- I finally had names to the faces I could hardly even remember, but it was _something_.

"Thank you."

"No problem. Though, uh, I-I think you should also know something else." Pulling back, I held Stiles at arm's length as he was making a face. "Your sister and Derek were friends. At least, that's how it seems from the photos. There, uh, there's a few pictures in those yearbooks of them playing together."

"Alpha?"

"Yeah. Small world, huh?" And after Stiles left, I went to the books and flipped the top one open. The human had called it on the fact that I couldn't really read- I could _some_ , but still not very well. I skipped past the pages of photos that didn't have what I was looking for, only stopping when I found Lisa's name. Going down the row, I found her picture and couldn't help but laugh. She had her eyes closed- the only way to keep them from reflecting the flash- and had a huge grin on her face.

She had curls unlike me, and freckles covered her nose and cheeks. She looked happy with her dimples showing, and a bottom tooth was missing.

Carrying the book over to the tire I slept in, I curled up with the photo of Lisa and flipped through the book to find more pictures of my sister. Memories began to spark in my head of times I had forgotten over the years.

~

I jolted awake when I heard a loud whistle. Clambering out of the tire, the blanket wrapped around my feet caused me to fall flat on my face onto the concrete floor. Someone hissed while taking in a sharp breath and I sat up while cringing.

Hot blood dripped from my nose as I looked up to see the Alpha, Isaac, Scott, and a stranger that was also a wolf. The stranger looked less than impressed while staring at me.

" _This_ is the secret weapon?"

"She's usually more intimidating." Isaac popped off.

"Get up, you're coming with us." Derek gestured with his head and I got untangled from the blanket. Wiping my nose with my sleeve, it was already healing as I sniffed.

"Hi." I held my hand out to the stranger while cleaning the blood off my face with my other hand. He just gave me a look and I glanced to the other wolves. "He stupid?" Scott snorted.

"No, I'm just questioning why we came all the way here for _you_. I'm Peter." He shook my hand and I grinned since I finally had a name to give in return.

"Dakota."

" _Dakota?_ " The Alpha's attention snapped to me and I nodded.

"Stiles. Brought stuff. My name." I pointed to the table as my grin grew. "Alpha knew Lisa."

"Lisa?" He looked confused and I nodded.

"Sister."

"Wait a second." Peter laughed, raising his hand. "You didn't even know your name until _tonight_? Someone want to tell me what's going on here?"

"Uh, long story short, she- uh, Dakota- was feral until we caught her and she's been kinda hiding out here." Scott explained.

"Feral?" Peter repeated and I pointed at myself.

"Dakota Lycaon." The new wolf seemed to go wide eyed while slowly looking at me. I wasn't the only one to notice the man's reaction and the Alpha gave Peter a look.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, but that's simply impossible."

"What is?"

"Her being a Lycaon." Peter laughed. "The last of them died over 15 years ago- and even then they were on the brink of extinction. Your pal Stiles got it wrong."

"Did not."

"He did. The last Lycaon family were killed by hunters- which, funnily enough-"

"Stupid!" I growled and the man looked offended. Derek raised his hand in front of me to keep me back as I bared my teeth.

"Okay, so let me get this straight- Stiles says your name is Dakota Lycaon?" The Alpha looked down at me and I nodded. "And you're saying that it's impossible because they went extinct- What does that even mean?"

"It means, my dear nephew, that we weren't the only beasties bumping around Beacon Hills. However, that little family was entirely killed- house burned down with them all inside."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because it was the same people who burned _our_ house, Derek."

"....What were the Lycaons?" Isaac questioned with a low voice and Peter glanced to him before answering.

"Does no one here know the story of King Lycaon?"

"You mean the Greek myth?" Scott's nose scrunched up.

"Some myths are born in truth."

"King Lycaon is a myth about werewolves- but she's not a werewolf." Peter's face fell when he heard that.

"Then what the Hell is she?"

"We don't know."

"Show me your eyes." Peter took a step towards me, a strange urgency in his voice as my brows furrowed. "No, I mean your _other_ eyes."

"Oh." I blinked and showed my silver irises, seeing Peter tense as I did.

"Okay, maybe she is a Lycaon."

"Peter, will you just tell us what the Hell the Lycaons are already?!" Derek was clearly impatient while watching the older man shift on his feet.

"She's a Fenris." He swallowed, turning to the wolves with a serious expression. "The humans had Neanderthals, cavemen- werewolves....we had the Fenris. We're pretty much looking at a living fossil here." Peter nervously chuckled. "Bigger, meaner, faster.... The Lycaons were the purest line of Fenris- and unlike us, can't reproduce through biting or scratching."

"So....it's safe to say Dakota really is a secret weapon then?" Isaac questioned.

"How come you know all this and I don't?" Derek crossed his arms.

"Really didn't get around to that lesson with you."

~

"They say he's in some kind of transparent casing made out of the venom coming out of his claws."

"Well _that_ sounds sufficiently terrifying." Peter replied, scrolling on the laptop opened in front of him while Derek was on the phone.

"They also say he's starting to move."

"Okay. Look, I think I found something." Derek leaned onto the table, looking over Peter's shoulder to the screen and I bent over the older wolf's opposite shoulder. "Looks like what you've seen from Jackson is just the kanima's Beta shape."

"Wait, meaning what? He can turn into something bigger?"

"Bigger and badder." Peter leaned back in the chair and I waited for a further explanation since I couldn't really read everything on the screen.

"He's turning into that? _That_ has wings."

"I can see that."

"Kanima?" My brows furrowed as I pointed to the picture on screen.

"Scott, bring him to us." Derek said into his phone.

"Look, somebody actually made an animation of it. Maybe it's less frightening if we-" Peter pushed a button and a screeching noise came from the laptop as both wolves quickly leaned back. Peter cut the video off by closing the laptop. "Nope. Not at all. Should probably meet them half-way."

"Scott, get him out of there _now_. Go now." The Alpha hung up the cellphone and pocketed it. "Come on, Dakota."

"Derek, we need Lydia."

"Look, there's no time-" The older wolf cut Derek off by raising a finger.

"That's the problem. We're rushing. We're moving too fast. And everybody knows that a moving target is harder to hit, and yet here we are racing right into Gerard's crosshairs."

"If I get the chance to kill Jackson, I'm taking it."

~

"Someone certainly enjoys making an entrance." Peter rolled his eyes, watching Derek meet up with the Betas and some human in a vehicle. We were pretty much hiding, which was understandable since both of us were apparently supposed to be dead. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I was a Fenris too- pretty much an ancestor to the werewolf. Well, my species anyway, not me personally. I'd be pretty old if that were the case....

They moved, taking the care into the nearest building and out of sight. Peter went to follow, but I grabbed his arm.

"What?"

"Quiet."

"....I didn't say anything."

"No. Quiet." I pointed to his shoes and then it clicked.

"Oh. Well, of course." He turned back towards the building and his steps were near silent as he crossed the street. Sneaking into the building, Peter peeked around a corner and spoke softly to me. "Circle around to the other side. Make sure all exits are covered." I nodded and left him there, making my way to the other side of the building.

"Of course not! Anything that dangerous....that out of control....is better off dead." A voice rang out loud and clear and I felt my entire body freeze. I could feel my hair standing on end as my heart started pounding in my chest. "Well done to the last, Scott. Like the concerned friend you are, you brought Jackson to Derek to save him. You just didn't realize that you were also bringing Derek to _me_." I heard growling and a gunshot, but I couldn't will my body to move- I was absolutely terrified.

More shots went off and my shaking knees gave out as I covered my head with my hands. That voice....that voice was the one thing I _couldn't_ forget over the years of running wild in the woods. My entire body was shaking as I curled up into a ball, hiding from the hunter out there.

The Alpha roared- loud and angry- but still I was unmoving even as I listened to the fighting that followed soon after. Years of survival, years of hiding, all revolving around one thing- avoid hunters. And the entire reason- the _only_ reason- I was so scared of hunters was because of the owner of that voice.

"Allison!" Scott yelled.

"Not yet, sweetheart."

"What are you doing?"

"He's doing what he came here to do."

"Then you know?"

"What is he talking about?"

"It was that night outside the hospital, wasn't it? When I threatened your mother. I knew I saw something in your eyes. You could smell it, couldn't you?"

"He's dying."

"I am. I have been for a while now. Unfortunately, science doesn't have a cure for cancer yet. But....the supernatural does."

"You monster!"

"Not yet."

"What are you doing?!"

"You'll kill her, too?"

"When it comes to survival? I'd kill my own _son_." The hunter declared. "Scott."

"Don't! He'll kill me right after. He'll be an Alpha."

"That's true. But I think he already knows that. Don't you, Scott? He knows that the ultimate prize is _Allison._ Do this small task for me....and they can be together. _You_ are the only piece that doesn't fit, _Derek_. And in case you haven't learned yet, there is just no competing with young love."

"Scott! Don't! Don't!" The Alpha was in danger and yet still....all I could do was shiver in the shadows and hope that hunter didn't find me.

"Sorry. But I have to." Scott replied....and a howl rang out.

The _Alpha_ was calling.

For _me_.

"I don't know why you're howling, Derek. Your pack is broken-" The man's voice cut off as I landed on a pile of wooden palettes, breaking the top few as a loud growl rumbled deep within my chest. Yes, the fear was still there, but the instinct, the adrenalin, the _anger_ burning through my veins drowned it out. The old man was standing there, his arm over Derek's mouth as Scott held the Alpha up. "You think one little wolf is-"

"Not wolf." I snarled, shaking my head as I shifted and my clothes tore at the seams. " _Fenris_." The old man's expression quickly changed and he knew he had to act fast.

He shoved his arm into Derek's mouth, forcing the Alpha to bite him. The hunter screamed in pain before raising his arm in victory over his head for all to see. Dropping down from the palettes, I stalked closer and the hunter turned to me with a triumphant grin.

"You're too late."

"Wolf can't stop me." I snarled.

"But a kanima can." The old man looked to the reptile and it let the brunette human go to run right at me. He hissed and swiped with his claws....and then went flying after I had grabbed him by the wrist and thrown him out of the way. I advanced on the old man, flexing my claws and ready to kill, but I paused at seeing the black blood flow from his wound. "What is this?" The hunter growled, turning to Scott. "What. Did. You. Do?"

"Everyone said Gerard had a plan." The Beta answered. "I had a plan, too." The old man pulled out a small, silver container and opened it, dumping pills into his hand.

"No. _No!_ " He crushed the pills in his hand as a few fell to the floor, a puff of black powder escaping from between his fingers. "Mountain ash!" He snarled before falling to his knees as black poured from his nose and eyes. It even leaked from his ears as his breathing became labored. I took a step back when he started projectile vomiting and fell to the ground.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Derek looked up at Scott.

"Because you might be an Alpha....but you're not mine."

"Kill them. Kill them _all!_ " The old man yelled and the kanima came crashing back from where I had thrown it. Baring my teeth, I lunged at the reptile and we clashed mid-air before landing. Avoiding his claws as much as possible, I fought the kanima, snapping my jaws and snarling as we rolled over the concrete floor.

His tail wrapped around my throat as I dug my claws into his skin, and it was more a battle of wills at this point to see who could hold on longer. The loser would be the one likely to die, and I wasn't ready for that just yet.

Burying my teeth into the kanima's shoulder, I shook my head, tearing into flesh and bone as the beast screamed. My back hit the ground as we rolled again just as a vehicle came crashing through the wall.

The kanima went rolling and I came face-to-face with a bumper as I was mostly underneath the vehicle. Any further and I would have been hit in the face. The reptile was quick to recover and jumped onto the hood of the vehicle- a familiar scream ripped through the air and I tried to reach for the kanima's tail to drag him down.

"Jackson! Jackson!" I turned to see that redheaded female standing beside the vehicle and the kanima went right to her as she held up....a key? My ears perked as the reptile became more human like, losing scales as it turned more into Jackson.

He stepped away from the redhead and held out his arms, looking right at Derek like he wanted the Alpha to kill him. Derek went at him, digging his claws deep into his gut as Peter came out and buried his into Jackson's back. He didn't scream or cry out, just....accepted the pain before he was dropped. Jackson went to his knees and the redhead was crying as she rushed to him.

"Do you....do you still-"

"I do." She nodded. "I do. I do still love you." Tears streamed down her cheeks. "I do-I do still love you." Pushing myself out from under the vehicle, I got to my feet while looking to the dying kanima.

It was over. The human killer was done for.

I could go home.

Glancing to everyone, they were all focused on the human female and Jackson. Quietly turning, I slipped away and out of the building.


	10. Alpha, Alpha, Alpha

Digging through the trunk, I tossed things over my shoulder without caring- none of it was what I was looking for. Growling out of frustration, I kicked the trunk away and moved on to the boxes in the corner. It was dark, but I could still see perfectly fine with my silver eyes as my bare feet padded across the concrete floor.

Ripping open the nearest box, I saw only clothes and tossed them onto the floor. Going to the next box, it was only more clothes and I dumped the contents onto the ground to be sure what I was looking for wasn't at the bottom of the box.

Flinching from the lights suddenly turning on, I glanced towards the door to see a familiar grumpy face looking back at me.

"I thought you left."

"Forgot something."

"After four months?"

"Yes." I ripped open another box as Derek closed the front door behind himself.

"Will you stop?"

"Your fault."

"How? You're the one that turned the place into a mess." He grumbled.

"You moved. Harder to find."

"At least put some clothes on." I growled in response and he gave me a look. "Stop throwing my stuff onto the floor."

"Find it."

"Find _what_?"

"Picture book." I waved one hand while reaching for a cardboard box on top of a small pile. Derek's gaze hardened- his eyes warning me, but I didn't care anymore. The Alpha wasn't my Alpha anymore- I didn't need a pack now that the human killer was dead.

"If it was actually the yearbook you wanted, you would have come for it a long time ago, Dakota." I paused, thinking as I stopped rummaging through the miscellaneous items in the box. Turning my head towards Derek, I watched him pick up a shirt from the floor as he neared me. "So why don't you put some clothes on and we can talk about it?" He held the garment out to me and there was a second of silence before I bared my teeth. "Growl at me again and I'll kick your naked ass out that door."

"Kick your ass." I snarled.

"Just put the damn shirt on."

"Mean."

"What?" His brows furrowed and I repeated myself, only louder this time.

"Mean!"

"You're saying I'm mean?"

"And grumpy!"

"I am not-"

"Yell too much!" Derek's jaw clenched as he looked at me and I pointed at him. "Angry old wolf!"

"You threw my things all over the ground, of course I'm angry! And we're only two years apart."

"Stupid!" The Alpha closed his eyes as if I would be gone and his home would be clean once again when he opened them. Of course, neither things happened and his hand shot out to grab the back of my neck. I growled and swatted at his hands, but he just shoved the shirt over my head and pulled it down without even bothering to put my arms through the sleeves.

"Yeah, well, you're _difficult_. And you smell."

"Wild."

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Derek sighed and I went quiet as he still held the back of my neck. Biting my bottom lip, I glanced up at the Alpha as he was looking at everything I had gone through in the wide open room.

"Was....lonely." I mumbled quietly and Derek turned his attention back to me. His gaze seemed to soften as he sighed through his nose.

"Go take a shower while I clean this up. I'll make you something to eat when you get out." He raised his eyebrows at me while looking me dead in the eye. "And I mean it. Take. A Shower." I huffed, but did as I was told.

Derek may not be my Alpha anymore but....he was familiar. An ally. Being back in the woods had made me happy, but I also felt like I had lost something when I started missing the pack. Erica, Isaac, Boyd, Scott, Stiles....and even Derek.

~

"You know, I'm startin' to not like this idea." I heard Isaac say as he was pacing. "Sounds kinda dangerous. You know what? I _definitely_ don't like this idea, and I don't like him."

"You'll be fine."

"Does it _have_ to be him?"

"He knows how to do it, I don't." Derek stated. "It'd be more dangerous if I tried doing it myself."

"You know Scott doesn't trust him, right? And personally, I-I trust Scott." The Beta started fiddling with a book on the table the Alpha was sat at.

"Do you trust me?"

"....Yeah. I _still_ don't like him."

"Nobody likes him."

"Who?" I popped up from behind the counter, my mouth full of bread and sliced meat. The wolves just stared at me until the door opened.

"Boys. F.Y.I. coming back from the dead left my abilities somewhat impaired, but the hearing still works." Peter strolled in and my nose scrunched up. "So, I hope you're comfortable saying what it is you're feeling. Straight to my face.

"We don't like you." Derek said flatly.

"Stupid." I popped off.

"Glad to see you're back, wild child." Peter smiled. "What exactly brought you back? Not that I'm complaining or anything, just curious."

"Dakota missed the pack." Isaac smirked at me and I gave a warning growl. "That and no junk food in the wild."

"Better to have a Fenris around, I say." The older wolf chuckled.

"Yeah, now shut up and help us." The Alpha closed the book in his hands and dropped it onto the table while standing.

"Fair enough." Peter whipped out his claws and my teeth tore another bite out of the sandwich. "You might want to take a seat." He told Isaac and the Beta hesitated but did as advised. "Relax. I'll get more out of you if you are."

"How do you know how to do this again?"

"It's an ancient ritual used by Alphas since it's a skill that requires quite a bit of practice." Peter slid off his coat and rounded the chair Isaac sat in, bringing his claws near the back of the Beta's neck. "One slip and you could paralyze someone....or kill them."

"I-I mean, you've had a lot of practice though, right?"

"Well, I've never paralyzed anyone."

"Wait, does that meant that you-" Isaac was cut off by his own pained yell as Peter's claws dug into his neck. Their eyes began to glow- Isaac's yellow and Peter's blue- and the Beta began to struggle. Derek tensed and took a step forward, but the older wolf stopped him.

"Wait! I see them." A few more seconds passed before Peter stumbled back, removing his claws from Isaac's neck.

"What did you see?"

"Uh....it was confusing. Uh, im-images. Vague. Shapes."

"But you saw something?"

"Isaac found them."

"Erica and Boyd?"

"I-I barely saw them. Glimpses."

"But you _did_ see them?"

"Worse."

"Deucalian."

"He was talking to them. Something about....time running out."

"What does it mean?" Isaac questioned.

"He's gonna kill them."

"No, no, no- He-he didn't say that. He did make them a promise that by the full moon that they'd both be dead."

"The _next_ full moon?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Track them." I spoke up after swallowing the food in my mouth.

"It's not that simple, Dakota." The young Beta looked at me and my brows furrowed. "They've been missing for four months." I paused before slowly turning towards Derek.

"Don't give me that face, they went looking for another pack."

"You're Alpha!" I growled, picking up a book from the counter and throwing it at Derek.

"Hey!" He growled back, catching the book as I bared my teeth. "Cut that out! It's not my fault."

"Not boss!"

"I _am_ the boss if you're gonna be staying here." He pointed at me and I narrowed my eyes. The rest of my sandwich smacked right into his face and I went for the door.

"Dakota-" Isaac got to his feet, but I just kept walking.

"How has she not ripped your throat out yet?" Peter mumbled and I slammed the large metal door behind me.

~

"Dakota! What are you doing here?!" The human hissed at me, pulling me behind his vehicle while looking around the parking lot. "If someone recognizes you, do you know how much trouble we could be in?" I made a face and the boy paused. "Wait. Dakota! Hey! Haven't seen you in forever."

"Stiles. Need a den. House." I stated. "Left Alpha's."

"I don't blame ya, guy gets moody. Um....hold on a sec. Scott!" The human called to the wolf walking towards the Jeep.

"What?"

"You think your mom would, uh, mind if Dakota stayed at your place?"

"What?" I leaned over and waved to the Beta, watching his expression shift before he hurried to the vehicle. "Can't you stay at Derek's?"

"Grumpy. Stupid."

"Exactly." Stiles nodded. "Now, what do you think?"

"What about your house? Your dad's the sheriff."

"Yeah, Scott. The _sheriff_. Dakota's been, uh, allegedly dead for over 15 years and she doesn't exactly....exude _normal_."

"Well, she can't stay with me, my mom is still getting used to everything."

"Mom not wolf?"

"No, she's not a wolf. Look, why don't you come with us and we'll figure this out?"

"Where?"

~

"Tricked." I growled while crossing my arms.

"No, no. We didn't trick you-"

"Alpha." My hand waved towards Derek as he stood by Isaac and the nice bald man.

"He's here for a different reason, okay?" I looked away from Scott and turned to Stiles, putting my hands onto my hips. The human pursed his lips and nodded slowly.

"I know we didn't tell you he'd be here, but we were kind of in a hurry and he really is the only person you can stay with. I mean, you have to realize you can't just show up wherever and think no one would ask questions-" The human rambled and I gave a soft growl.

"Not stupid."

"Whoa, hey- Never said you were. You're actually smart. _Very_ smart. Intelligent even, I mean-"

"Stiles. Shut up." Derek cut the human off. "Now, can we get to this or not?"

"Not."

"Dakota, do you want to help find Boyd and Erica or not?"

"....Do."

"Then stop _arguing_." The Alpha told me and I flashed my teeth but said nothing. We moved into the next room were a metal tub was filled with water and the wolves poured in bags of ice as well.

"Obviously, it's not going to be particularly....comfortable, but if we can slow your heart rate down enough you'll slip into a trance-like state." The older human explained to Isaac.

"Like....being hypnotized?"

"Exactly. You'll be half-transformed. It'll let us access your subconscious mind."

"How slow does his heart rate need to be?"

"Very slow."

"Yeah, well, _how_ slow is very slow?" The Alpha questioned.

"Nearly dead." We all looked to the bald man.

"It's safe though, right?"

"Do you want me to answer honestly?"

"No. No, not really." Isaac replied and there was a loud snap. Turning, I saw Stiles wearing a glove up to his elbow.

"What?" All Derek had to do was raise his eyebrows and Stiles pulled off the love and threw it down.

"Look, if it feels too risky, you _don't_ have to do this." The Alpha told Isaac. He nodded before taking his shirt off and tossing it onto the table behind him. He let out a heavy breath while sliding off his shoes, and then climbed into the tub, making a face that clearly said how cold the ice and water was.

Scott took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeve before he and Derek grabbed Isaac's shoulders. Pushing him under, they held him there for a few seconds before the Beta broke the surface, his eyes glowing and teeth sharp as he roared.

"Get him back under." The older human demanded and the wolves pushed Isaac down as Stiles came to hold the Beta's feet down. Isaac fought, gripping onto the sides of the tub to get leverage. "Hold him!"

"We're trying!" Derek shouted and I rolled my eyes while walking to the struggling Beta. Climbing into the ice water, the cold nipped at my skin as I placed my hands onto Isaac's chest and pushed him under the sloshing ice. I was used to the snow and cold of winter in the wild, so I had more resistance to the low temperature- not to mention the strength to hold the Beta down.

He kept fighting and flailing around, but when he suddenly stopped, I slowly let him up- he was still alive and the older human came up on my left side.

"Now remember, only I talk to him. Too many voices will confuse him and draw him out." He said softly before leaning onto the side of the tub. "Isaac? Can you hear me?"

"Yes. I can hear you."

"This is Dr. Deaton. I'd like to ask you a few questions, is that all right?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to ask you about the night you found Eric and Boyd. I want you to remember it in as vivid detail as possible. That you're actually there again."

"No, I don't wanna do that." The Beta shook his head. "I don't wanna do that." The lights flickered in the room, but I kept my breathing calm as I stood over Isaac. "I don't wanna do that." He grabbed the sides of the tub again, but he wasn't going anywhere with me holding him in place.

"Just relax. They're just memories. You can't be hurt by a memory."

"I don't wanna do that. I don't wanna do that."

"All right. Relax."

"I-"

"Relax. ....Good." A slow, steady heart beat thumped against my palms as Dr. Deaton kept a gentle tone. "Now, let's go back to that night. To the _place_ you found Erica and Boyd. Can you tell me what you see? Is there some kind of building? House?"

"It's, uh, it's not a house. It's stone. Like marble."

"That's perfect. Can you give me any other descriptors?"

"It's dusty. Empty."

"Like an abandoned building?" The lights flickered more. "Isaac? Isaac?"

"Someone's here." The Beta's hand wrapped tightly around my arm. "Someone's here!"

"Isaac, relax."

"No, no, no! They see me! They see me!" He screamed, squirming around in the water again.

"They're just memories. You can't be hurt by memories. Just relax. Relax. Good." The grip on my arm loosened but didn't let go. "Now, tell us what you see. Tell us everything."

"I hear them." Isaac's eyes opened, blue now while his pupils were wide. "He's talking about the full moon and about b-being out of control when the moon rises."

"Is he talking to Erica?"

"I think so, I can't....I can't see her. I can't-can't see either of them." He was shivering more now from the cold as his voice shook.

"Can you hear anything else?"

"They're worried. Worried what they'll do when the moon.... Worried that they're gonna hurt each other."

"If they're locking in together during a full moon, they're gonna tear each other apart." Derek spoke quietly.

"Isaac, we need to find them right now. Can you see them?"

"No." His pupils contracted before dilating again.

"Do you know what kind of room it is? Is there any kind of a marker? A number on a door? A sign?" Isaac suddenly shot up and I nearly fell back.

"They're here." He fell back, whimpering and holding onto my arms. "They're here. They're here."

"It's all right."

"No. They're here."

"Just tell us-"

"They see me! They found me! They're here!"

"This isn't working. Isaac! Where are you?" The Alpha questioned.

"I can't see them, it's too dark!"

"Tell me where you are!"

"You're going to confuse him."

"Isaac, where _are_ you?"

"No-"

"Tell me where you are!"

"You're going to send him into shock!"

"Let him go!"

"Where are you?! What do you see?"

"It's a vault! It's a bank vault!" Isaac was screaming more and splashing water onto the floor before he sat up and was broken from the trance state he had been in. "I saw it. I-I saw it. I saw the name." The Beta scrambled out of the tub and Dr. Deaton held out a towel to him. "It's, uh, Beacon Hills First National Bank. It's, um, an abandoned bank and they're keeping them locked inside the vault." The Beta explained and I slowly got out of the ice water while the others were staring at him. "What?"

"You don't remember what you said right before you came out of it, do you?" Stiles asked.

"No."

"Uh, you said when they captured you, they drag you into a room and that there's a body in it."

"What body?"

"....Erica. You said it was Erica."

"She's not dead." The Alpha shook his head and I glanced to the older human as he handed me a grey towel.

"Derek, you heard what he said. 'There's a dead body. It's Erica.' That doesn't exactly leave room for interpretation."

"Then who was in the vault with Boyd?"

"Someone else, obviously."

"Maybe it was the girl on the motorcycle." Scott suggested. "The one that saved you."

"No. She wasn't like us. And whoever was in the vault with Boyd was."

"What if that's how Erica died? They pit them against each other during the full moons and see which ones survives. It's like werewolf Thunderdome."

"Then we get them out tonight."

"We have to be smart about this, Derek." Dr. Deaton stated. "We can't just go storming in."

"If Isaac can get in, then so can we."

"But he didn't get through a vault door, did he?"

"We _need_ a plan."

"How are we gonna come up with a plan to break into a bank vault in less than 24 hours?"

"Uh, think someone already did." Stiles said, holding his phone in his hands. "'Beacon Hills First National closes it's doors 3 months after vault robbery.' Doesn't say here how it was robbed, but it probably won't take long to find out."

"How long?"

"It's the internet, Derek." Stiles scoffed. "Okay? _Minutes_."

"Took weeks for me." I popped of and the human shifted on his feet.

"Okay, but you weren't a bank robbery. It's totally different. Trust me."

~

"Okay, see this?" Stiles laid out the large papers with the bank floor plans printed onto them. It hadn't taken minutes like he had said, it was actually the next day now and only hours away from night. "This is how they got in. It's a rooftop air-conditioning vent. Leads down inside to the wall of the vault which is here." He pulled the cap off of the red mark in his hands, making two circles on the paper. "Okay? One of the robbers was lowered into this shaft. Now, that space is so small that it took them about 12 hours just to drill into that wall- which is _stone_ by the way. Then, throughout the rest of the night, they siphoned the cash to the guys back on the roof through that one little shaft in the wall. Boom."

"Can we even fit in there?"

"Yes, we can, but very, very barely. And they also patched the wall, obviously, so we're gonna need a drill of some kind. I'm thinking maybe a diamond bit-"

"No." I stated, leaning over Stiles's shoulder to look at the papers on the table.

"I'm sorry?"

"No time." I clarified.

"....If I go in there, how much space do I have?" Derek asked and the human turned to the Alpha.

"What do you-what do you think you're gonna do, Derek? You gonna punch through the wall?"

" _Yes_ , Stiles. I'm gonna _punch_ through the wall." Derek forced a smile while crossing his arms and facing the much smaller human.

"Okay, big guy. Let's see it. Let's see that fist. Big ol' fist. Make it, come on. Get it out there, don't be scared." Stiles had a challenging tone and Derek lifted one of his fists. "Big bad wolf. Yeah, look at that. See this?" Stiles grabbed the Alpha's wrist and held his other hand a few inches away. "That's maybe *three* inches of room to gather enough force to punch through solid con-" I heard a smack and a squeak from the human's shoes as he fell back from Derek hitting his palm. Stiles made pained noises as he held his hand and I pushed Derek back.

"What?!"

"Human!" I looked at the Alpha like he was stupid before turning to Stiles and grabbing his hand to look at it.

"Yeah, Derek. _Human_."

"I'll get through the wall. Who's following me down?"

"Don't look at me." Peter popped off from the stairs. "I'm not up to fighting speed yet, and honestly, with Isaac out of commission, you're not lookin' at very good odds yourself."

"So I'm just supposed to let them die?"

"One of them's already dead."

"We _don't_ know that."

"Do I have to remind you of what we're up against here? A _pack_ of Alphas. _All_ of them killers. If that's not enough to scare your testicles back into your stomach, try to remember that two of them combine bodies to form one _giant_ Alpha. Sure, Erica and Boyd are sweet kids and they'll be missed."

"Can someone kill him again, please?" Stiles popped off and I glanced around at them with a confused expression.

"What?" Scott asked me and I let the human's hand go now that I was certain it wasn't broken.

"Testicles?" I questioned and the atmosphere quickly shifted as they each made a different face. "What? What is testicles?"

"Oh, boy." Peter sighed. "Who wants to explain that one?"

"I think you should have to since you said it."

"What is testicles?" I asked again.

"Could you please stop saying that?" Stiles made a face while partially cringing.

"Tell me." I put my hands onto my hips and the human turned away while shaking his head.

"Nope. Not doin' it."

"Testicles. Testicles. Testicles-"

"Okay, look, Dakota. Testicles are-"

"Peter, shut up. Dakota, it's a body part. Now, can we get on with this?" Derek leaned his hands onto the table while raising his eyebrows.

"....I have testicles?" I quirked up a brow while pointing at myself and it went quiet again and the Alpha sighed while closing his eyes.

"Yeah, sure. The biggest." Peter popped off while chuckling.

"Once this is over, I _really_ think we should catch up on your schooling education." Stiles pat my shoulder.

"What about you? Will you come?"

"Sure, if you want me to-"

" _Not_ you." Derek gave the human a look.

"Scott. Right."

"I don't know about Erica, but if Boyd's still alive, we have to do something. We have to try."

"But?"

"Who's the other girl? The one locked in there with Boyd?"

"You know, this would be so much easier if you hadn't pissed off the Fenris, nephew."

"Peter-"

"I'm serious! Dakota has some _real_ power." The older wolf gestured to me and I sighed through my nose.

"I go."

"What?"

"I go. Pack. _Not_ Alpha." I pointedly looked at Derek and his jaw clenched. "Rude. Mean. Grumpy."

"....I'm.... _sorry._ "

"....Oh, my God. Did he just apologize?" The Alpha growled as Stiles and the human sort of leaned behind me.

~

Derek and Scott were quietly arguing over whether we should take a minute to think things over or not, and I was already climbing the side of the building while rolling my eyes at them. I could hear them going back and forth for good minute before Derek was the one to notice I wasn't beside them.

"Dakota!" He hissed my name, jumping up onto the fire escape ladder to catch up to me. Getting to the roof of the bank, the Alpha was the first one down the vent to punch through the wall, followed by Scott and I. "Boyd?"

Low, rumbling growls answered from the dark.

"Boyd? It's me. It's Derek."

"Hey, Stiles, now is not the best time." Scott whispered into his phone after answering it.

"Scott! Scott, no, listen to me, okay?! Look, you've gotta get out of there." I could hear the human's loud and panicked voice. "The walls of the vault are made from a mineral called hecatolite- it scatters the moonlight."

"What does that mean?" Scott asked and I was looking between the wolf on the phone and the wolf growling and stalking closer.

"We're gonna get you out of here, okay?"

"It keeps the moonlight out, okay? They haven't felt the full moon in months."

"Think of it like the gladiators in the Roman coliseum. They used to starve the lions for three days to make them more vicious, more out of control- Deucalian has kept them from shifting for three full moons, diminishing their tolerance to it."

"Scott, they're gonna be stronger."

"More savage, more blood thirsty. Scott, they're the lions. They're the starved lions and you've just stepped into the coliseum."

"Derek....we've got a problem. Really big problem." Scott turned to the Alpha, but another wolf stepped out from around the pillar- a brunette female and Derek's demeanor changed.

"Cora?"

"Who?"

" _Cora?_ "

"Derek. Get out. Get out _now._ "

"Scott? Scott!" Stiles's voice echoed from the phone, but my attention turned to the opening vault door. A woman knelt down, looking at us while holding something and my eyes went wide when I saw the line of black ash on the ground. As fast as I could react, I grabbed the Alpha and Scott by the back of their shirts and threw them back through the hole in the wall before the ring of mountain ash was closed.

The growling behind me grew louder and I turned just in time to see Boyd and the wolf Derek had called Cora lunging at me with bared fangs. I roared in pain when I raised my arms to block and their teeth sunk into my flesh. Grabbing the two, I spun on my heel, throwing them back the way they had come from and they slammed against the wall of metal boxes.

"Dakota! Stop!" Derek yelled, trying to get back into the vault and failing due to the ash. I began to shift as the two feral wolves ran at me again, absolutely lost within themselves and beyond reasoning with. "Stop!" The Alpha sounded desperate as blood began to fly, and I was holding back only because of it- I couldn't actually stop, the wolves would tear into me until my guts were on the floor. "Dakota! That's my sister!"

My ears perked as I looked at the female wolf I was pinning down to the floor by her throat. Her claws were raking across my arm and side as she kicked out with her feet, her eyes wild and yellow as her teeth snapped.

"Look out! Boyd!" A different voice screamed and I turned to see Allison breaking the line of mountain ash.

"No!" Scott yelled and the big Beta went for the human. I had to think fast- either risk the wolves escaping, or let the girl get mauled to death.

I got to Allison before Boyd did, rolling away from the vault door while having the human in my arms. The wolves, now free with nothing holding them back, ran right out of the vault with Scott and Derek trying to catch up to them.

"What were you thinking?!" Derek yelled at the human as I pushed her off of me and got up, seeing that the feral wolves were already out of the bank.

"I had to do something!"

"She saved Dakota's life." Scott tried to defend Allison and I lowly growled.

"Yeah? And what do you think they're going to do out there?! Do you have _any_ idea what you just set free?!"

"You want to blame me?!" Allison shouted, getting to her feet while looking at the Alpha. "Well, _I_ am not the one turning teenagers into killers."

"No. No, it's just the _rest_ of your family."

"I've made mistakes. Gerard is not my fault."

"And what about your mother?"

"What do you mean?"

"Tell her, Scott." Derek turned to the younger wolf.

"What does he mean, Scott?" Her expression became more serious. "What does he mean?"

"If you don't tell her, Scott, I will. Or, better yet, why not Dakota? She was actually there."

"What?" Allison looked at me and I was so confused.

"What?" My brows furrowed and the Alpha looked me in the eye.

"That female hunter with Scott. That was Allison's mom." And things clicked into place in my head. My eyes went wide as I glanced to the human and I quickly backed away from her, tripping over something on the floor. Allison was a hunter. Her parents were hunters. _Gerard_ was _her **grandfather**_.

"Dakota!" They yelled after me, but I was already running out of the bank.


	11. Beta

_'Kill a human, hunters come.'_ The water rushing from above was loud, but it couldn't drown out my own thoughts. _'Kill a human, hunters come.'_ At my feet was pink-ish red as water mixed with blood that was both my own and not, washing my wounds as they healed. _'Kill a human, hunters come.'_ My skin was turning pink from how hard I was scrubbing, trying to get the human's scent off of me. _'Kill a human, hunters come.'_

I roared, punching the wall and busting the tiles under my knuckles. Snarling, I ripped through the curtain with my claws and it felt like both fire and ice were running through my veins.

I was angry- angry that no one told me about the hunters, told me that Gerard's kin knew about us- about _me_. And I was absolutely terrified. Gerard wasn't dead- I knew that- and he knew that I wasn't dead either. And come to find out, his granddaughter knew about me this entire time.

She had to have been keeping tabs on me, telling her grandfather everything she knew. It was just a matter of time now until he came to finish the job. I should have stayed in the woods.

I should have never come back to Beacon Hills.

Growling, I knocked everything off of the bathroom counters, sending things clattering to the floor. How could no one tell me? I was a fool, an absolute _fool_ , being friendly with that hunter and even considering her an ally when it was her very family that took everything from me.

_'Stupid! Stupid! **Stupid!** '_ Roaring again, I hit the wall by the door over and over until my fists bled and there was a large hole in the brick and concrete. My forehead smacked against the wall as I bared my teeth and my claws scraped over the wall. Hot tears were running down my cheeks as I fell to my knees.

It seemed ever since I left the wild I was actually in more danger than before. Kanima, hunters, werewolves.... I should have stayed in hiding.

Sniffling, I forced myself to my feet and pushed open the bathroom door. My wet feet left puddles across the floor as I went to the dresser on the other side of the loft. Opening one of the drawers, I grabbed a shirt from the top and pulled it over my head. Pushing my arms through the long sleeves, I wiped my face with my arm but the tears just kept coming.

Going upstairs, I didn't bother to use my silver eyes to see in the dark- I didn't want to really see anything. Curling up in the corner, I felt a chill since my hair and skin was still wet, however, I didn't much care.

I really was just a dumb animal.

~

"Dakota." A voice groaned from downstairs. "I'm _really_ not in the mood to deal with this." The sun was up now, filtering in from the wall of windows downstairs, and I had yet to go to sleep. I just spent hours crying in the corner in the dark. "Okay, no. That's it- You destroyed my god damn bathroom! Dakota! Where the fuck are you?!" The Alpha bellowed, but I didn't move a muscle.

Feet came stomping up the stairs as I heard growling and angry grumbling.

"Look, there's going to be new rules around here, do you understand? This isn't the woods, this isn't the wild, this is my damn loft. Shit costs money to fix, you got that? You can't just go breaking everything as you please. Are you even listening to me-" Derek cut himself off after he looked behind the shelf to where I was.

I didn't even acknowledge his presence, but he didn't seem to get angry at that. In fact, he stopped yelling all together as he crouched down beside me.

"Dakota, what happened?" The Alpha's tone was oddly gently, but I just buried my face into my arms. "Look, I've had a long night. I've had to heal I don't even know how many times, and I found out my little sister is actually alive- I wasn't really prepared to come home and see all the puddles and my bathroom wrecked on top of it all."

"Going." I mumbled.

"What?"

"Back to woods."

"You're leaving again?"

"Yes."

"Why?" He sighed

"Hunters come. Kill everything. Dangerous."

"Dakota, no hunters are going to come."

"Lie."

"Are you talking about Allison? She's not going to come after you."

"Her family. Hunters. Killed a hunter."

"You killed her mom to save Scott, you were just protecting pack."

"Hunters don't care. Her family....they'll come. He will come."

"Wait, he? He who?" I brought my knees up closer to my chest. "Dakota, he _who_?" Derek sighed and a few seconds passed before a warm hand rested between my shoulders in a comforting manner. I tensed due to the unfamiliarity of it, but I didn't push him away. "Look, you can talk to me, okay? We're pack, remember? Even if you say I'm not your Alpha anymore, you're still a part of us."

Slowly raising my head, I looked up at Derek but didn't say anything.

"You don't have to leave. Whatever it is that you're scared of, it's better to face it with people you trust rather than alone. So, come on. Why don't you get out of this corner?"

"I'm dangerous."

"And so am I. I'm the Alpha, remember?" He softly smiled and I let my arms fall into my lap.

"Was Gerard." I stated and his smile fell. "Burned everything. Killed Lisa. Killed parents." Derek breathed out through his nose before he gently grabbed my wrists and pulled me to my feet.

"He won't be bothering anyone any time soon, so you don't have to worry about that right now. What you _do_ have to worry about is that mess downstairs." The Alpha led me to the stairs and I made a face. "That's right, Dakota. _You_ get to clean everything up while _I_ am going to bed. Congratulations."

"Kick your ass."

"Your mess, you clean it up. Let's make that rule #1."

~

"Stop. You're not done healing."

"Yeah? Well, done lying around."

"Then sit."

"Are you gonna help me go after them?" Cora questioned while doing push-ups on the floor. She'd been working out nearly all morning, stubbornly not listening to her brother's advice. Derek swiped one of her hands out from under her with his foot, causing her to roll onto her back before she got up and started swinging her fists at him. The Alpha easily blocked every strike which seemed to irritate her. "Come on! Fight back! I came back for this?" Cora scoffed. "I can't believe I got my ass thrown in a vault for three months for _you_. All those rumors I heard. A powerful new Alpha. One of the Hales. Building a pack- do you know how long I waited to hear something like that? Do you have any idea how it felt to find out you were alive?"

"Sorry to disappoint you." Derek crossed his arms and my brows furrowed- he actually seemed hurt by her words.

The alarm suddenly started going off as the red light on the wall flashed.

"Who's that?"

"Trouble." The door opened and a bald Alpha bared his teeth as he entered the loft, and Cora growled, running right at him. "No, wait! Wait!" The strange Alpha had Cora pinned by her throat on the ground in less than a second before grinning at Derek.

"Ready for a rematch?" Jumping onto the counter as yet another Alpha entered the loft, I flashed my sharp teeth while roaring. The female Alpha went right for Derek, but I went for the bigger Alpha pinning Cora down.

Crashing into him, he seemed surprised that I took him down and we rolled across the concrete floor, snapping and clawing at each other like wild animals. The sounds of snarling and growling were absolutely vicious, but I didn't fear this Alpha- I had no reason to. He was nothing more than an invader, a threat to the pack. He was just a wolf....and I could kill wolves.

Straddling the man's chest, I had his arms pinned with my knees and my hands clasped tightly around his throat, choking him as my claws made him bleed.

My head snapped up when I heard a pained roar and I saw the female Alpha holding a metal pipe going straight through Derek's torso. My ears twitched when I heard tapping and I turned to see a blind Alpha walking in.

"Everybody done? 'Cause just _listening_ to that was exhausting."

"Holy shit." The woman was looking right at me now and the blind man tilted his head.

"What is it?"

"One of his Betas has Ennis pinned." The woman explained and the blind man sort of turned in our direction while smirking.

"My....isn't that _interesting_." He pulled up a chair in front of Derek before taking his cane apart as he sat. "Now, let's chat." He smiled. "Sorry about this, Derek. I asked Kali to be gentle."

"This _is_ me being gentle." The woman twisted the pipe in Derek's back, causing more blood to pour onto the floor, and I gave a warning growl, tightening my grip on the Alpha under and making him cough.

"L-le-let them go." Derek panted.

"I don't think your Beta is willing to give up the position he has. Your sister, however....she's free to leave. You see, we're not unreasonable."

"What do you want?"

"You want to kill me?"

"You really think I'm that boring? Don't throw me in with sociopaths like your uncle. I'm a man with far more vision than simple murder. In fact....I'm here to show you just how much vision a blind man can have."

"Stop! You're killing him!" Cora shouted.

"Not yet, little sister. But I could. Who knows if it's five minutes or five hours before it's too late to take this thing out." She turned the pipe in a circle and Derek coughed up blood.

"My Alpha dies....I kill big wolf." I snarled and the Alpha beneath me was struggling as his face turned a deep red.

"Just to be on the safe side, Duke, you might want to get to the point."

"You see the one problem with being in an Alpha pack? Everybody wants to make the decisions." The Alpha sitting down waved his hands before rubbing them together. "Me? I'm more about discovering new talents. Like you."

"Not interested."

"But you haven't even heard my pitch."

"You want me to....kill my own pack."

"No. I want you to kill _one_ of them. Do that and I won't have to ask you to kill the others. You'll do it on your own. I did it. Ennis did. Kali did. Tell him what it's like, Kali." He grinned. "To kill one of your own."

"Mmm. Liberating."

"Listen to her, Derek. You really want to stay beholden to a couple of maladjusted teenagers bound to become a liability? And believe me, they _will_ become a liability. In fact....I have a feeling one of them is getting himself into trouble already right now." He stood up, holding his folded up cane in his hands. "See, the reason I'm always invested in new talent is simple. We all know a pack is as strong as it's individual parts. The stronger the individual parts, the greater the whole." He dropped one end of his cane and the pieces snapped back into place.

"When I....lost my sight, one of my Betas assumed I wasn't fit for my role anymore. He tried to take it from me." The Alpha continued, taking one section off of his cane. "Killing him taught me something about Alphas that I didn't know they could do. His power was added to mine. I became stronger. Faster. More powerful than I'd ever been. I tested this new ability to subsume the power of your own by killing another one." He pulled off another section of the cane. "In fact, I killed them all." And the last part was folded to the side. "I took the individual parts and became a greater individual whole." The Alpha dropped one end of the cane and it snapped together again.

He knelt down and fisted his hand into Derek's hair, pulling his head up to feel his face.

"You're right, Kali. He looks like his mother. You'll get to know me, Derek. Like she did."

"I know you." Derek grunted. "I know what you are. You're a fanatic." The blind Alpha turned while setting his cane onto the table.

"Know me? You've never seen anything like me. I am the Alpha of Alphas." He stated and thunder crashed outside the window. "I am the apex of apex predators. I am Death, Destroyer of Worlds!" His voice got deeper as he got louder. "I am the Demon Wolf!" Cora cowered behind a pillar of bricks as a storm rolled in and the female Alpha pulled the pipe from Derek's back. "Hate it when that happens." The blind Alpha said while taking off his now cracked glasses.

"Let him go or I stick this right back into your Alpha." The woman threatened, holding the pipe over Derek as he was collapsed in a puddle of his own blood and raggedly breathing. I hesitated, looking between the Alphas in the room and Cora. The big Alpha under me took in a gasping breath as I pulled my hands away.

"Wait. I want to see this Beta that bested Ennis." The blind Alpha raised his hand before following the sound of the man coughing to me. "If she moves, kill the little sister."

"With pleasure." The woman replied and I stayed as still as possible while a hand came closer to my face. His fingers were light, brushing over my forehead and brow ridge, down my nose and chin. He touched my cheeks before his thumb ran over my lips and I had to fight the urge to bite.

"My, definitely not what I was expecting." He chuckled, leaning closer and inhaling through his nose. "You're not a werewolf." He stated as a grin pulled at the corners of his lips. "You're the Fenris, aren't you? I must say, it makes more sense knowing it's you that got the better of Ennis and not just a random Beta. The invitation for Derek extends to you, my dear." He raised his eyebrows. "And I do hope you choose wisely- you are the last of your kind, after all. Come now, Ennis. Kali." And the trio of Alphas left as Cora and I ran to Derek.

~

"I don't get it." Isaac waved his hand, looking to the Alpha as he stood at the windows, rain pelting down the panes of glass as thunder rumbled overhead. "Did something happen? It's just not going to work with all of you here. I've got Cora now and it's just too much." Closing my eyes, I clenched my jaw, hearing the lies he was telling the boy.

Derek just wanted him out- and not in a bad way- to keep him safe and alive. The Alpha pack knew where Derek lived and he didn't want to put Isaac in harm's way or at risk.

"I need you out tonight."

"Where am I supposed to go." The Beta scoffed.

"Somewhere else."

"Did I do something wrong, Derek?"

"You're doing something wrong right now by not leaving." The Alpha turned, pointing to the door with the hand holding a glass of water.

"Oh, come on."

"Get out."

"Derek, please-"

"Get out." Derek rose his voice, pointing again.

"Come on-"

"Go!" He shouted, throwing the glass in the Beta's direction while being sure to miss. I knew what the Alpha was trying to protect Isaac from, but this wasn't how to do it.

Growling at Derek, I went to Isaac and gently grabbed his arm. Picking up his bag, I led him to the door and placed his clothes into his arms.

"Dakota...."

"Scott. Not Stiles. Sheriff asks questions." His brows furrowed as he looked down at me and I softly pushed him out of the loft. "Scott....it's safe. Go there." Isaac looked back to Derek briefly before glancing to me. He nodded, sighed, then left and I closed the door. "Your mess, you clean." I turned to Derek while pointing to the broken glass and spilled water.

~

The storm was still raging outside as I stood in the glow of the refrigerator light, looking over the food on the wire shelves. Derek and Cora had gone to sleep hours ago, but I had woken up thirsty a few minutes ago. Reaching into the fridge, I grabbed the juice and unscrewed the cap.

I paused, about to drink straight from the carton. 'Derek said not to do that. I should get a cup.' Going to the cabinet where the glasses were, I grabbed one and poured some juice into it before putting the carton back into the refrigerator. Leaning on the counter, I downed half the glass before looking over my shoulder.

"At least you're learning." The Alpha spoke hardly over a whisper as he crossed his arms over his bare chest and leaned onto the opposite counter.

"I'm smart. Just can't tell." I popped off and that seemed to get a little laugh out of him.

"So....how do you feel now knowing that Deucalian's wanting you, too? Want to get away while you still can?" Derek asked and I shook my head. He quirked up a brow at me and I hopped up onto the counter to sit on the edge.

"You said....always part of pack. Pack is here. I am here. We fight. Argue. Growl and roar. But....like family. Not alone. Laugh. Protect. Help." I explained the best I could, but it was still hard to turn my thoughts into actual words. "Alpha." I pointed at him before pointing at myself. "My Alpha."

"So I'm you're Alpha again?"

"Eh. Not so bad. Just very grumpy." He scoffed while shaking his head. Derek dropped his hands and went to the refrigerator, grabbing the juice to get himself a drink. He leaned onto the counter next to me while drinking and I glanced to the tattoo on his back. I knew werewolves healed rather fast, and I had recently learned from Scott's new tattoo that to combat that they had to burn the flesh to get the ink to stay.

Scott had two bands on his left arm, but Derek had a triskele between his shoulder blades. Tilting my head, I took a drink as the Alpha did, but he coughed on his juice soon after.

"What are you doing?"

"Alpha." I mumbled as my finger traced over the top spiral before moving on to the next. "Beta." Touching the last spiral on the symbol, I crossed my legs at my ankles. "Omega. Can rise to one, fall to another."

"Since you're in a pack, you're at Beta."

"Mmm. No."

"No?" Derek looked at me with a raised brow and I flashed my teeth.

"Alpha."

"You're not an Alpha, Dakota."

"Kick your ass." I raised my eyebrows and he chuckled- we were still keeping our voices low to not wake up his sister. "Be good as Alpha."

"I don't think so."

"Why?"

"You still hardly wear pants for one thing." The Alpha gestured to the rolled up boxers I wore and I huffed.

"So? Don't need clothes."

"Kind of do."

"Not in wild."

"This isn't the wild."

"....Still good Alpha."

"You can't even speak English right."

"Rude."

"But true."

"I'm stronger."

"It takes more than strength to lead." Derek told me, his face becoming more serious as he looked down at his cup.

"....It's hard. You try." I stated and he looked at me. I had to admit, I liked the times like these when we weren't growling at each other. The Alpha could be pleasant company when he wasn't so angry. "Beta better anyway."

"Giving up already?"

"Alpha grumpy. Don't want to be grumpy."

"Being an Alpha doesn't make you grumpy, Dakota."

"Really?"

"Reall- Ow!" Derek jolted from me nipping his shoulder. "Dakota, what the Hell?"

"Alpha!"

"You really want to be Alpha that badly?" He set his glass down onto the counter before placing his hands onto either side of me, his eyes glowing red in the dark. "You think you could kill me for it?" He asked and my smile faltered when I saw his teeth sharpen as a low, steady growl rumbled in his chest like the storm outside. A strike of lighting made it hard to see until it was dark again and Derek had his fangs close to my neck. "You really believe you'll be a good Alpha with how quick you are to become violent? Frustrated? _Afraid?_ "

His breath was hot on my skin and I knew he was giving a warning, but....it didn't feel like it. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I looked at the side of the Alpha's head. Clenching my jaw, I swallowed as something seemed to stir in my lower gut.

The growling suddenly stopped and Derek leaned back.

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm," He cleared his throat, grabbing his juice before walking away. "I'm sorry." And it was only as he was leaving that I realized my cheeks had grown hot and my heart had picked up pace.


	12. "Maybe less grumpy-"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING: Mature content ahead, proceed at own risk*

"Oh, God! This a bad, very bad idea!" I shot out of bed when I heard a women's voice after the door to the loft was opened. "I should be taking you to a hospital!"

"No. No hospital." A familiar voice panted and I hurried to see if it was who I thought it to be.

"Derek! I can't-I can't hold you anymore!" The woman lost her grip on the larger man, but I caught him before he hit the ground and my seemingly sudden appearance made the woman screech.

"Alpha! You're alive?!" I knew the bewilderment was clear on my face as I drug Derek to his bed in the corner.

"Barely. Please, tell him he needs to go to a hospital!"

"No." I snapped at her, getting the Alpha to lay down. "Can't." Derek groaned in pain, his clothes soaked in blood as his body was covered in deep claw marks and bites from fighting with the Alphas. Ripping off his shirt, I used it to cover his wounds and put pressure to them. "Water." Looking to the stranger, she didn't react at first so I growled to get her to snap back to reality. " _Water_."

"Right." She turned, looking around wildly before spotting the kitchen area on the other side of the loft.

"Stop bleeding."

"I'm trying." Derek popped off, but ended up cringing as he panted. He was dirty and sweaty and I couldn't figure out who the Hell this woman was or why she was here.

"Where's the First-Aid?" I heard the woman call as cabinets were opening and closing.

"How bad?" The Alpha asked, unable to even keep his eyes open.

"Black blood." I answered, feeling the panic set in as his heart was getting quieter and quieter.

"Oh, Derek! You're not dying, are you?" The stranger looked near tears as she returned with the water. "Derek, please don't die! Derek!"

"Shut up!" I growled. "Won't die." Sure, that's what I told her, but in all honesty....I wasn't even sure. Derek passed out, his head falling back onto his pillow as his chest rose and fell with his shallow breaths. Lifting the torn shirt from the largest wound, I saw that the bleeding had slowed.

"I'm going to go look for the First-Aid, or bandages- a-anything!" The woman hurried off and I didn't stop her. It'd get her out of the way so that I could take care of the Alpha.

~

"No." I pushed the wolf back down onto the bed when he came to and tried to get up.

"I have to find the others. They think I'm dead."

"Call. Later. For now, rest."

"They need to know." Derek looked up at me and I hardened my gaze.

" _Rest._ When wounds heal, call." He sighed through his nose, but I felt him relax under my hands. Making sure he wouldn't try to get up again, I pulled my hands back and sat criss-cross as I was on the other side of his bed.

"Dakota."

"Hmm?"

"....Why does my bed smell like you and Cora?" I felt my ears get hot and I fiddled with the blanket on the bed.

"Thought you were dead. Scent. Comfort." Scratching the back of my head, I didn't look at the Alpha. Was this what it was like to be embarrassed?

"It's fine. And, uh....thanks."

"Thank the lady."

"She's still here?" Derek moved and I had to push him back down.

"No. Left a while ago." I told him and he gave a sigh of relief. "She's not wolf. Who?"

"She's who Boyd and Erica almost killed."

"Why her?"

"She was in the-"

"No. You went to her. Why?"

"I don't know if you noticed or not, Dakota, but I couldn't exactly get very far with how close I was to my organs spilling out. She has a car."

"....Oh." Laying down, I rested on the pillow beside Derek, folding my hands over my stomach while looking at the ceiling. "She was worried. Very."

"How'd you get her to leave?"

"Promised you live. Glad you did."

"Me, too."

"Thank her."

"Stop it, I will."

"She's into you."

"What?"

"Likes you." I nudged his arm with my elbow. "She likes you. You like her?"

"Dakota."

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Laying down."

"I mean, why are you asking if I like her? We're not teenagers."

"Isaac. Said you need to get laid."

"You've got to be kidding me." Derek sighed, rubbing his temples with one of his hands.

"Not. So....like her?"

"Look, I know you don't really understand what you're talking about, so just stop."

"Wild, remember? I know sex. Animals do, bugs do, plants do. You are wolf- animal. Need to get laid. She's nice. Annoying, but nice."

"Dakota, shut up."

"Maybe less grumpy-"

" _Dakota_." The Alpha gave a warning growl and I rolled my eyes. Quiet fell as I stopped talking, but I still listened to the steady sound of Derek's heart beating. It was much stronger now than it had been when the woman brought him in which was a good sign, so it'd only be a matter of time until he was completely better.

Rolling onto my side, I looked at the Alpha and he turned his head in my direction when he felt me staring. He raised his eyebrows in question and I folded my arm under my head.

"The woman make you happy?"

"It's-"

"Yes or no."

"....You seem awfully interested in Jennifer for someone who doesn't usually care about anything other than junk food."

"Jennifer?" I quirked up a brow, now knowing for certain the Alpha and this woman knew each other better than just the one time meeting when saving her life.

"Don't give me that look."

"You lonely?" His expression changed and he looked back at the ceiling.

"It's impossible to be lonely with all of you runts running around. Can hardly even sleep." The Alpha said and I shook my head.

"Many kinds of lonely. You don't have to be." He sighed through his nose before replying.

"People that get close to me end up getting hurt, Dakota. For the sake of others, it's better I stay distant." Derek's voice was low as he spoke and I slid my hand into his, feeling his warm palm against my own.

"Better with those you trust than alone. You said." I stated as he glanced at me. "Trust me?" Derek suddenly sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed as he pulled away. His elbows rested on his knees as his hands were clasped together, and I pushed myself up into a sitting position. "Alpha." He didn't say anything and I grabbed his shoulder to make him look at me.

The Alpha's hand wrapped around my wrist and he was giving me that look he usually gave when he wanted me to stop talking. Of course, like any other time, I didn't shut up like he wanted.

"Derek. Trust me?"

"....Yes, now will you stop?"

"Hate me?"

"What?" His brows furrowed together. "No, I don't hate you. Where is all this coming from?"

....How in the Hell was I going to tell him the answer to that question? My reasoning was complex yet simple, it was- in many ways- abstract and with my current verbal skills would be too difficult to explain. If only I had talked more, practiced over the years, I wouldn't have forgotten how to do something so easy as speaking.

It was as Derek was waiting for an answer, while his eyes were locked with mine, that I realized not everything had to be said verbally. We'd expressed our anger and aggression plenty of times through growls and roars, so why would this be confined to only one way of expression?

Closing my eyes, I went for it, closing the gap between our lips. I'd seen people do this before, so I knew it was something commonly done and I hoped Derek wouldn't find the action weird. The Alpha's heart spiked in rhythm before I pulled away to see his reaction, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't hoping he'd reciprocate the feelings I was trying to express.

His eyes had gone a fraction wider and I tapped my lips.

"Easier. Speaking- too hard." I explained while feeling Derek's breath on my face from how close we still were, and the Alpha slowly leaned closer. He hesitated as heat from my ears began spreading to my cheeks and soft lips crashed against mine. Oh, this was much better now. Talking? That was hard. But this? So easy.

The hand holding my wrist let go, moving to the back of my neck as he guided me back to laying down on the bed. Running my hands over Derek's chest, I felt the hard muscle and soft skin beneath my palms, hearing a hammering heartbeat other than my own. I nipped the Alpha's bottom lip while softly growling and he ripped open the shirt I wore, his rough palm going over my bare stomach slowly as his fingers danced over my skin.

My nails dug into his shoulder blades and all hesitation was gone now as Derek's lips moved to the side of my neck, planting kisses all the way down to my collarbone while my legs hooked over his waist. The Alpha's body pressed closer to mine, his hands wandering as we were chest to chest. The skin on skin contact and the scent filling my nose made my head light and his fingers hooked onto the elastic band of the boxers I wore.

I involuntarily bucked when his hand grazed over my hip bone and he grunted from my pelvis pushing up against his. Lips met mine again while Derek pushed his jeans down, kicking them off of his legs and over the edge of the bed. The heat between our bare bodies was only rising as we were grinding and grasping at one another. Kissing, groping, touching.... It all felt so good.

Derek lowly growled, nipping at the underside of my jaw as his hand slid between my legs and I gasped, my thighs twitching from his thumb pressing against my clit. My fingers tangled in his hair and I leaned my head back, baring my throat to him in both a sign of absolute trust and true submission to him.

Fangs scraped up my throat, hot breath fanning over my skin as Derek swiped his fingers through the slick dripping from my core. I gave a breathy moan and the Alpha bucked his hips against me. My claws raked over his back and he growled, grabbing my thigh and hitching it up higher onto his waist.

I moaned as his fingers slowly pumped, my teeth sharpening while the only thing I could focus on was the Alpha above me. His scent, his heat, his touch, his heartbeat, his hard cock pressing against my thigh.

In truth, it wasn't just the pack that brought me back. Call me a fool, but Derek....Derek sparked something in me that I didn't want to forget or let go. For an Alpha werewolf, he was a beautiful creature that I couldn't help but to admire. However, as things progressed, the distance Derek kept himself at from everyone became more and more clear and I knew what that was like- I didn't want him to live that way, I wanted him to be happy, to be able to trust someone and be close with them.

"Dakota...." His voice was low and near my ear. "stay with me."


	13. Boyd

"Go back to school." Derek droned right after the door slid open and the two Betas walked in.

"Well, actually we can't." Isaac stated and I didn't even look up from the tablet in my hands. "Boyd and I are, uh, incredibly and unbelievably sick."

"With what? Brain damage?" The Alpha popped off while he sat on the stairs.

"Well, I have a migraine and, uh, Boyd here has explosive diarrhea."

"We're here to protect you."

"You're here to protect _me_?" Derek came down the stairs as Isaac sat on the table and flipped open one of the old books on it. "Well, I'm in trouble then."

"Actually, Boyd here came up with a plan."

"Yeah. I thought about the time Gerard had me and Erica locked up, tied up with electrical wires to push a current through us." Boyd knelt down, opening the duffel bag he had with him. "I was wondering how we could do something like that. But on a bigger scale."

"Erica and me." I corrected from the couch, tapping on the tablet's screen before it dinged.

"What?"

" _'Erica and me'_ , not ' _me and Erica'_."

"....Dude, I think she's correcting your grammar." Isaac made a face and the two Betas looked at me.

"Stiles got her a learning tablet." Derek explained, also glancing to me as I slouched on the couch and the tablet dinged again as I got another correct answer.

"That's what that is? I thought she was just playing games this entire time."

"Learning proper grammar. Spelling. Reading."

"So you can speak English better." Boyd stood up and I nodded.

"Also watch cartoons. Don't tell Stiles."

"Cartoons?" Isaac snorted while raising a brow at me.

"Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack, The Powerpuff Girls, and Teen Titans."

"You watch Powerpuff Girls?"

"I like Buttercup."

"....Which one's that one?"

"The aggressive one." Boyd answered while chuckling and the tablet dinged.

"So, the plan?" I questioned and the bigger Beta pulled cables out of the duffel bag.

~

"In a pool of electrified water, it can take up to 15 milliamps to kill an adult human- less than the power it takes to turn on a light bulb."

"That's....comforting." Derek glanced around while his arms were crossed and Boyd had water from the faucet pouring straight onto the floor with a hose.

"If we disable the circuit interrupter in the building's electrical room, the current will keep coming. And anyone who steps foot in here....they'll get a pretty shocking surprise." He smirked and the cold water reach my feet as it spread across the concrete floor.

"Especially someone who's barefoot." Isaac added, referring to how Kali didn't wear shoes.

"How are we....supposed to....move around?" I waved my hand to the wide open loft.

"Wood doesn't conduct electricity. I saw some pallets downstairs, so we could use those."

"Isaac, Dakota, you two get the pallets. Boyd and I will take care of the electrical work."

~

"Isn't the light on that supposed to be on?" Isaac asked, pointing to the metal box on the brick wall.

"Yeah." The Alpha clenched his jaw while looking.

"What does it mean if it's not?"

"Someone cut the auxiliary power."

"But what about the main-" Boyd cut himself off as the lights went out and everything was sent into darkness with the only light coming from outside. The Alpha hesitated before stepping into the ankle deep water, splashing through as he walked forward.

"Derek....what do we do now?"

"We fight." Derek's eyes turned red as he looked to the front door. The Betas followed suit and I rolled my shoulders while sighing. I could hold my own, I knew that from experience, but the Betas? That was a toss up.

Pulling my shirt over my head, I dropped it onto the pallet and shifted while taking my pants off. Entering the water, I shook out my fur and the Alpha shifted as well. There was a banging at the door from the lock being broken and Kali pushed the large door to the side.

"Gotta be honest, Derek. When Ennis died, I thought to myself....I'd just go for it. Find you and kill you wherever you stood. Then I remembered how you surround yourself with these teenagers, hiding behind them and that Fenris. And I thought, what's a girl gotta do to get you alone?" Kali grinned, turning to the opened doorway.

The twin Alphas stepped into view, holding Jennifer and having claws to her throat.

"You and me, Derek. Or they tear her apart. What do you say? Think you can beat me one-on-one?" She asked, standing in the water just beyond the front stairs. Derek jerked his head, gesturing for us to back away. Looking to Jennifer, I saw she was staring at me with wide eyes and I lowly growled at the Alphas before stepping back.

"I'm gonna rip your throat out....with my _teeth_." Derek growled. Kali flashed her fangs and the two Alphas roared before lunging into battle.

They seemed to be equally matched at first, dodging and striking at each other as water splashed from all of the movement, sending rippling waves through the loft.

"Derek!" Jennifer screamed and Kali jumped to a column and leapt off, kicking Derek in the face, her claws scratching him in the process. The female Alpha hopped onto the table and Derek went for her legs to knock her down but she dodged and kicked him into the water. Kali growled, flashed her teeth as the male Alpha pushed himself up turned only to be kicked again and sent flying. "Derek!"

Isaac moved to try and save the woman, but I grabbed the back of his neck and held him in place while growling a warning. We do anything wrong and the woman would die- be too slow, miss one of the twins- anything.

The fight that had started balanced was now tipping in favor of Kali as Derek was sent to the ground once more. Derek just kept getting up, kept fighting Kali while Jennifer was whimpering and screaming.

"Now!" Isaac hissed at me and I knew what he meant as I launched across the loft. The woman made my ears ring as she screeched- I tried to be as gentle as possible as I tackled her, turning mid-air to where I hit the ground instead. The twins turned on me with bared teeth and I mule kicked them into the water that was now electrified. Kali, Derek, the Twins, and Boyd were all caught in the water.

They went down, but Kali was the first to get back up and she was *pissed*.

"Take him!" She snarled and the twins grabbed Derek, holding him in place with his hands up. Pushing Jennifer off of me I quickly got to my feet as Kali took hold of Boyd. The female Alpha saw me coming and threw the Beta onto Derek's claws....

My hackles raised as my hand closed around Kali's throat, but she only grinned as my grip tightened.

"Do you want someone else to die?" She asked me and my gaze drifted to the two Alphas still holding Derek. My teeth were bared as I growled, but I let her go. "That's what I thought. You have until the next full moon, Derek. Make the smart choice. Join the pack. Or the next time I'm killing all of you." She walked out with the twins following her and Derek didn't even try to stop them as he was still in shock and holding onto Boyd.

"No. No, no, no. Hey! No, no...."

"It's okay." Boyd mumbled, his shirt already soaked in blood.

"No. No. N-no, it's not. It's not."

"It's okay, Derek."

"I'm sorry."

"The full moon.... That feeling. It was worth it. Did you know there was a lunar eclipse? I always wondered....what that would feel like....for one of us. For a werewolf." The Beta said before falling into the water. Derek looked from Boyd to his own bloody hands, shaking before Stiles and Cora ran in. Cora went to Boyd, crying as she held onto him, but he was already dead.

Kali may not have killed Derek like she wanted, but she most certainly broke him as tears were silently falling down his face. I went to my knees by the Alpha, wrapping my arms around him while trying to take away as much pain he felt as possible. Derek continued to shake in my arms, unable to look away from Boyd.


	14. Blue Eyes

"They were there for two days. Waiting. Hiding. That's what we're taught to do when the hunters find us. Hide and heal." Cora explained, looking out the windows as rain was slowly washing away the painted triskele Kali had left.

"Okay, so is two days standard then, or are we thinkin' Derek's on some, like, extended getaway?" Stiles questioned and Cora turned to look at him.

"Why do you care?"

"Why do I care? Let's see, because over the last few weeks my best friend's tried to kill himself, his boss nearly got ritually sacrificed, a girl that I've known since I was three _was_ ritually sacrificed, Boyd was killed by Alphas. I- You want me to keep going?" The human waved his hands while pacing. "'Cause I can. All right? For, like, an _hour_."

"You think Derek can do anything about that?"

"Well, since he's the one everyone seems to be after, it seems he _should_ do something about it."

"I don't know. There's something different about him now. He wasn't like this when I knew him."

"What was he like?"

"A lot like Scott, actually." Peter popped off as he came down the stairs. "A lot like most teenagers. Unbearably romantic, profoundly narcissistic, tolerable really to only other teenagers."

"So what happened? What changed him?"

"Well, the same thing that changes a lot of young men. A girl."

"You tellin' me some girl broke his little heart? _That's_ why Derek is the way that he is?"

"You remember the way Derek was before he was an Alpha? How he had blue eyes?" Peter questioned and my finger paused over the tablet screen. "Do you know why some wolves have blue eyes?"

"I always thought it was like a genetic thing." Stiles replied.

"If you want to know what changed Derek, you need to know what changed the color of his eyes."

"He took an innocent life." I stated and the tablet dinged.

"That's right, Dakota." Peter nodded to me and Cora furrowed her brows.

"Wait, if you were feral and aren't a werewolf, how do you know that?"

"I still met wolves. Tended to avoid each other, but not always."

"That's partly on instinct." The older wolf stated. "We can sense that you're dangerous. And there's more to it than Derek simply taking an innocent life." Peter sat on the couch, leaning his elbow onto the armrest. "It begins with Derek as a sophomore." And Peter didn't even get a minute into his story telling until Stiles was asking a question.

"Okay, so, if Derek was a sophomore back then, how old was he? How old were you?" Peter just raised his eyebrows. "How old are you _now_?"

"About as young as we could have been but not as old as you may think."

"Okay, that was frustratingly vague. How old are you?" Stiles asked Cora.

"17."

"See? That's an answer. That's how we answer people."

"Well, 17 in how you measure in years."

"Okay, I'm just gonna drop it. What happened to Derek and the cello girl?"

"What do you _think_ happened?" Peter made a face at the human like he was asking a dumb question. "They're teenagers. It's one minute 'I hate you, don't talk to me' and the next it's frantic groping in any dark corner they can manage to find themselves alone in for five minutes. They're favorite dark corner was an abandoned distillery outside of Beacon Hills."

"All right, hold up." Stiles waved his hand. "How do you know all of this? You just said that they were alone."

"Back then, I wasn't just Derek's uncle." The older wolf leaned forward, resting his elbows onto his knees. "I was his best friend. His closest confidant. That's how I know." And Peter delved back into the telling what happened one night when a few packs came together at the distillery to discuss a recent Beta being killed by the Argents after he had killed a hunter.

Deucalian, Kali, and Ennis were some of the Alphas that congregated there- even Derek's mother. However, because it was Ennis's Beta that had been killed, he couldn't be reasoned with and vowed vengeance.

"A spiral. Our mark for vendetta."

"Man, you guys really take that whole revenge thing to, like, a _whole_ new level, don't ya?" Stiles popped off while casually cracking his knuckles.

"It's not _just_ revenge." Cora said. "Losing a member of your pack isn't like losing family. It's like you lose a limb."

"They wouldn't even let him see the body."

"I don't get it. What does this have to do with Derek?"

"Everything. It's never just a _single_ moment. It's a confluence of events. Personally, I looked at Ennis's circumstances and I saw profound loss. Derek....he saw something different. He saw....opportunity."

"Opportunity to do what?"

"To always be with her. The thing was, he had this constant fear. He was obsessing over it. Thinking about it all night, all day, always on his mind. What would happen if she found out? So....he thought the only way they could stay together was by turning her." Peter continued and the tablet dinged in my hands. "I kept telling him *not* to do it. Every day, the more he thought about it, the more convinced he became. You know teenagers- I bet he even blames me. He's probably convinced himself the whole thing was my idea." Peter went on and mentioned a cellar with roots filling the room and it being a nemeton.

"What's with you guys and the Celtic and druid stuff?" Stiles asked, shifting in his chair while leaning on the table.

"Older wolves in the pack tend to have connections to the druids- we call them emissaries."

"Like Scott's boss."

"Do you know the myth of Lycaon?" Peter tilted his head and my attention shifted away from the tablet in my hands.

"It's where the word Lycanthropy comes from."

"Well, there's a Greek myth of a King Lycaon. He and his people....they weren't much in honoring the gods of Olympus. Lycaon even went so far as to challenge them, inviting Zeus to a banquet and serving him human flesh. Zeus was enraged by this, destroying everything and turning Lycaon and his sons into wolves." He glanced at each of us in the room before continuing. "Lycaon then sought out the help of the druids to turn he and his sons back into humans."

"Why druids?"

"The ancient belief was that druids knew how to shape shift. They could make Lycaon and his sons human again, but they also taught them how to shift _back_ into wolves. It's from Lycaon and his sons that Dakota comes from." Peter stated and they looked at me. "Over time, a few became more human, losing some of the ability to turn a wolf. Some would call it an evolution, others a mutation, but either way it lead to us. Werewolves. Except werewolves can infect people, make them _also_ turn into werewolves. You have to be born a Fenris."

Turning off the tablet, I just set it to the side, no longer having any interest in it or the lessons I had been working on to stay occupied.

"It's one of the reasons Dakota's kind has died out. That, and like any other species, has been effected by human progression and evolution. Hunters, deforestation, pollution, you name it- they had a harder time adapting and suffered greatly because of it. They were too wolf, too animal."

"I don't know, Dakota seems pretty human to me. On a good day." Stiles popped off.

"Think of it like this, then. Werewolves are the perfect balance- half human, half wolf. Our instincts- our urges- can be influenced by the moon's phase, but both sides are always there, always constant-"

"Except for when you turn into a blood-thirsty, homicidal maniac on the full moon if you don't know how to control it."

"Well, it's not the same for a Fenris. We're half and half, Dakota....she's more three parts wolf and one part human. Incredibly in-tuned with the _primal_ power and instincts of the wolf. The closest any werewolf could get to a Fenris were rare Alphas like Talia that could physically turn into a wolf."

"So, did they also, like, have emissaries?"

"Emissaries keep us connected to humanity, so I wouldn't be surprised if they did."

"Wait, you don't even know?" Stiles furrowed his eyebrows.

"They're kept secret even in the pack, sometimes only the Alpha even knows who the emissary is. Derek and I didn't even know about Deaton until recently."

"And when Dakota's family lived here, they very much kept to themselves. There wasn't much to know about them other than that they were-"

"Fenris." I finished for him and he nodded. "We had....an emissary." Getting up, I walked over to them and crossed my arms. "Too young to remember who, but he was the one that taught Lisa and I control during a full moon."

"Which, with how dangerous a bloodthirsty Fenris can be, they start young." Peter pointed and I leaned onto the table. "And while Deaton was advising Talia on how to go about Ennis and the Argents, Derek was carrying out his own plans before time ran out. He went to Ennis do it."

"Ennis? Why would he choose him?" Cora questioned."

"Why not? Ennis needed a new member for his pack. Paige was young and strong. Doing a favor for Derek meant Ennis was in good with Talia. Back then, _everyone_ wanted to be in good with her."

"He doesn't remember it was Ennis, does he?"

"If he does, he keeps it to himself." Peter replied and I shook my head.

"I don't think that's something you forget."

"Sorry, Dakota, but you aren't really the one to say what is to be remembered and what isn't. You couldn't even remember your own name."

"A name is useless when it comes to surviving." I growled.

"....So then what happened? Did he turn her?"

"Almost. He came at Ennis- a 15 year old boy against a giant. Of course, he didn't stand a chance, but there was no reason to fight now. She'd already been bitten. And Deaton along with Deucalian had arranged a meeting with Gerard." Peter shook his head. "It was an ambush. Gerard laid a trap and they had walked right into it."

"But did Paige turn?"

"She should have. Most of the time, the bite takes. Most of the time."

"When you offered it to me, you said that ' _if_ it doesn't kill you.'" Stiles pointed and Peter nodded.

"If. I found him in the cellar with her in his arms. He asked me what was happening to her, but....he knew the answer already. Didn't matter that she was young and strong, some people just aren't made for this. She fought. She struggled desperately....trying to survive. But that just wasn't enough. She was in so much pain and he just couldn't take it all.... There was only one thing he could do to save her then." The older wolf said. "I remember taker her body from his arms. I took her to a place in the woods where I knew the body would be found. Another in a long line of Beacon Hills animal attacks."

"What about Derek?"

"Taking an innocent life....takes something from you as well. A bit of your soul. Darkening it. Dimming the once brilliant golden yellow to a cold....steel....blue. Like mine." Peter looked at us as his eyes went blue.

"Now I know why no one trusts you, Peter."

"Because I have blue eyes? That's harsh."

"No." I locked gazes with the male wolf and I saw something flash across his face so briefly it could have been missed. "Because you lie."

"But I didn't-" He scoffed and I flashed my teeth to shut hum up, knowing that there were many times during his story telling that he hadn't been honest. There were indicators, subtle but there. He was a damn good liar.

"You tell the truth and you lie. Your blue eyes have nothing to do with it."

"Well, anyone could have told you Peter was a liar." Stiles popped off while turning his attention to me. "So, how does it work for you? Would your eyes change color if you, like, killed someone or became an Alpha? What color would they turn?"

"That's another thing that differs between a Fenris and a werewolf. No matter what, they're eyes stay that ghastly, soulless silver." Peter made a face and I rolled my eyes.

"Now you're just being biased."

"Then how do you know the difference between an Alpha, Beta, and Omega?" Cora asked me.

"Scent."

"That's explains how you knew Derek was an Alpha and the others were Betas."

"No." I shook my head. "Derek was different. It wasn't his scent."

"Oh?" Peter quirked up an eyebrow.

"What was it then? You see his eyes first?" Stiles waved his hand while shifting in his seat.

"I sensed power."


	15. Darach

Hanging upside down from the heavy pipe, I had the dinging tablet in my hands while doing crunches. Derek was still missing and Cora had left a little while ago, not bothering to tell me where she was going. She was in a rather foul mood and had just stormed out without a word.

She'd be back eventually- she always came back after blowing off some steam. That seemed to be something she had in common with her older brother, going off without a word, I mean. There were actually a lot of similarities between Cora and Derek personality wise, but the Beta and I didn't butt heads like the Alpha and I did.

"Stupid tablet." I grumbled when it buzzed and I tossed it, hearing it hit the floor with a rubbery sound from the protective case it was in. With my arms dangling, I just hung there from my knees and heavily sighed.

What was I going to do if Derek didn't end up coming back? Losing Boyd hit everyone hard, but it hit the Alpha even more.... A pack needed a leader and in the off chance Derek stayed missing, who would step up to the plate?

Cora? Isaac? Scott? We were a small pack as it was and two of us were already dead. If I was a more brash person I would have gone after the Alphas head on, but I knew better. Sure, I could take on an Alpha one-on-one, but a whole pack of them? Deucalion? I wasn't sure, and it was that doubt that held me back. I wasn't going to go on a suicide mission and leave these kids alone.

Hearing the lock on the loft door rattle, I dropped from the pipe and landed on all fours before getting up. Cora was back earlier than I thought- where exactly had she gone? Going to the door, I stood there with my arms crossed and waited for it to side open.

"Derek?" My brows furrowed as I looked up to those hazel eyes. "Derek!" I threw my arms around him, pulling him into a hug while burying my face into the side of his neck. Large arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly as the Alpha nuzzled my jaw. I felt relief with his scent surrounding me, and I leaned back to press my forehead to his.

"You didn't look like you were expecting me, so who were you getting that stern face for?"

"Cora." I mumbled in reply. "She went out."

"Do you know when she'll be back?"

"No. Where have you been?"

"I just needed time alone."

"Understood." I said before gently kissing him, letting him know that he was missed.

~

"What are you doing here?" Scott whispered to me as I stood by the door behind the rows of filled chairs.

"Derek's with Cora, he sent me here." I explained, looking to the stage where people sat with instruments. Cora had gone after the twins, getting herself injured and for some reason she wasn't healing right. The Alpha was with her at the hospital, and I couldn't really go there with the law enforcement crawling around the place.

"You sure you're gonna be okay? I mean, there's a lot of people here."

"I'll be fine." I replied before music began to softly play from the other side of the room. The choir soon joined in, slowly rising in volume to match the music. Everything seemed fairly normal and I questioned is the Darach was going to make their move here, but a few minutes in something changed. The choir began to chant while those playing instruments played shrilly or beat on the percussion.

The hair on the back of my neck stood on end and a hand grabbed my shoulder.

"Dakota! Your eyes." Isaac hissed.

"What?"

"They're silver!"

"What?!"

"Stop it."

"Can't- I didn't even-"

"Someone's going to see!" The Beta stood between me and the crowd and I backed away to the door, slipping outside. Something was happening not only to the humans, but to me as well and I couldn't get my eyes to turn back.

"Dakota, what are you doing?"

"Something's wrong." Looking up, I saw Scott and Stiles standing just outside and they saw my eyes.

"We know, and Lydia's missing."

"Since when?"

"We don't-" Scott cut off and the both of us covered our ears while bearing our teeth. The shrill screaming was worse than a dog whistle or the stakes hunters used- it was the call. The very same call that brought me back to Beacon Hills, only it was louder, closer, and the instinct to run for it was stronger.

I bolted as soon as the screaming stopped and the two teenagers yelled after me. I nearly broke the door going into the school before running to where the sound had come from and when I finally got there I felt conflicting emotions at what I saw.

Baring my teeth, I roared at the woman standing by Lydia and the piled desks rattled in the dark classroom. A human was bloody on the floor but still alive, and I lunged at Jennifer. Swiping with my claws, she dodged and swiftly countered, hitting me right in the sternum with an open palm.

I was sent flying back, crashing into the stacked desks and chairs. The sound of ripping fabric and growling filled the room and I crawled out of the mess as my fur bristled. Jennifer pushed the teacher's desk to the door, shutting and effectively blocking off the entrance as Stiles was banging on the door. The woman was strong, no doubt using her power as the Darach to her advantage.

Going at her again, I snapped at the woman but my teeth only closed on air. I caught her arm as she tried to hit me again and she hardly even reacted as my grip broke her arm. Jennifer fisted her free hand on the beck of my neck, twisting me around and pushing me to my knees.

I could hear Scott roaring and ramming against the classroom door, trying to get it open and into the room. Yelping, hot, searing, spiking pain lit my nerves on fire as a knife dug into my side.

"I hate to do this to you, Dakota....but you left me no choice. You were better off when you trusted no one. Too bad you turned into a loyal _dog_." The blade bit deeper and twisted, making me howl in pain as warm blood soaked my fur and pooled on the floor. Jennifer yanked the knife out of my side before throwing me through the classroom windows. I hit the grass hard, rolling a few feet as I was losing my form and more blood.

I tried to push myself off of the ground, but I only ended up falling onto my face as my arms gave out. I was healing, but it wasn't fast enough- I was losing too much blood and the more I struggled to get up the darker my vision became. My senses were warping, everything I heard was just garbled noise and everything else was either too intense or too dull as I tasted blood in my mouth.

~

It was hard to breathe and I oddly felt cold- it was raining and I was still coming in and out of consciousness. Sitting up against a tree, I had managed to reach the woods just outside the school, taking cover to heal. Looking down at my side, there was still a gaping hole and blood washing away in the pelting rain.

Gazing to the weeping sky, I laughed as thunder cracked and lightning speared across the sky, the rain coming down even heavier. With all the power people kept saying I had, absolutely none of it was apparent when Jennifer smacked me around like I was nothing. I was supposed to be dangerous, some beastly badass, and yet here I was bleeding out in the woods from a _stab wound_.

Of all things, of all the supernatural things I had faced, it was a human and a knife that got me down. Sure, the human was also the Darach, but still a human nonetheless.

I didn't want to die alone in the woods and no one even know I was gone. I didn't want to die and it not make any difference to anyone. I didn't want to die and have nothing to be proud of to tell my family.

I didn't want to die....

Roaring in frustration, I cried out into the night. I had to fight. Digging my claws into the tree bark, I forced myself to stand once again. Just like when I was a child I put one foot in front of the other, walking slowly and unsteadily past the trees.

Stumbling, I fell but managed to catch myself on a large tree stump. Grunting, I pushed myself back up as rain pelted down my back.

My hand on the stump tingled, the sensation quickly shooting up my arm as it spread and I tore my hand away. I fell to the ground, getting covered in mud as I bared my teeth and snarled. I didn't know what was happening, but the muscle and tissue in my side was rapidly stitching together, healing much faster than before.

I roared and it echoed out with the thunder, shaking through the trees as slick mud covered my back and rain made my vision blurry. Rolling over, I was panting and scrambled to my feet. Looking back to the stump, I paused- it wasn't there. My eyes wildly went around the surrounding woods but there was absolutely no sign of the cut down tree.

Had I imagined it?


	16. Healing

Pushing the metal door open, I felt eyes on me as soon as I stepped into the loft. I was still soaked from the rain, leaving foot prints on the concrete stairs and floor as I went right for Cora as she was barely alive in Derek's bed.

"Dakota...."

I kept walking, not stopping until I reached the edge of the bed. Grabbing Cora's wrist, I clasped my hand around hers, my eyes softly glowing as as I clenched my jaw and took her pain. The veins in my arm turned black, but color was returning to the Beta's pale cheeks. Her breathing became more even as the black veins stretched further up my arm, pulsing while Cora stabilized.

Gently setting her hand back down, I silently went to the dresser and pulled out a shirt to pull over my head. It was still quiet, and I just stood there with my back to the wolves, thinking while staring at the wall. The early morning sun was peeking over the horizon and I slowly breathed in through my nose.

"Don't know where you're at in the loop, but-"

"Jennifer's the Darach." I finished for Peter, turning to look at him as he sat on the spiral staircase. "Kind of got that when she nearly killed me." Seeing their looks of surprise, I glanced to the floor. "Scott and Stiles probably didn't say anything to you guys yet because they thought I was already dead."

"So how is it that you're alive? The Beta furrowed his brows, looking at me through the rail.

"I'm not certain, but I think....I think the nemeton healed me."

"The nemeton?" Derek shifted and I leaned against the dresser.

"I was bleeding out in the woods....just trying to stay alive, and it was there. I just happened to fall on it. Well," I scoffed. "'Just happened to' doesn't really quite explain it. It was there when I needed it and gone when I didn't."

"It could have been the deep connection the nemeton has to the druids." The older wolf said lowly, getting up and going down the rest of the stairs. "And, as we know, druids have a deep connection to the Fenris."

"Speculate all you want, I don't know the answer. What I do know, though, is that Cora is only temporarily stable. I can't heal her all the way- I'm not an Alpha."

"What do you mean?" Derek's gaze sharpened and I glanced between him and the Beta.

"He doesn't know?"

"I'm surprised you even do."

"How many times do I have to say I'm not stupid? The things you learn in the wild all revolve around survival- _this_ is about survival."

"What are you two talking about?" The Alpha stood up and Peter sighed.

"It's something _only_ and Alpha can do, and with good reason."

"Which is?"

"You know normal wolves never abandoned an injured wolf in the pack, they care for it. Bring it food from a kill, regurgitate it into the mouth of the injured wolf, they even give it physical and emotional comfort by intensively grooming it. In a way, it can be more than just to ease the pain. It can be instrumental in _healing_ the wolf."

"If you're trying to tell me I can save her, just _tell_ me." Derek gave his uncle a look.

"I'm just telling you I've _heard_ it's possible."

"How?"

"It's that spark of power that makes you an Alpha. When you take her pain, she draws on the power that provides you with those special gifts. The power that heightens your senses, your strength, the power that transforms your body. As an Alpha, you have that bit of extra. That _spark_ that intensifies the color of your eyes from bright yellow into a _searing_ red."

"If I can save her-"

"If. _If._ Didn't say it works every time."

"It could even kill you." I stated, watching as Derek's jaw clenched.

"How do I do it? By taking her pain?"

"And then some. There's a cost."

"What is it?"

"You lose what makes you an Alpha. Fall back to Beta." I answered.

"That's it?"

"I can understand not seeing a downside to this as you haven't exactly been Alpha of the year, but think about what else you'll be losing."

"I don't care about power." Derek told Peter. "Not anymore."

"What about the power to fight back? Correct me if I'm wrong, but Kali's ultimatum still stands and the full moon is tomorrow night. And if you couldn't beat her as an Alpha, how do you think you're gonna fare as a _Beta_?"

"I don't care."

"What if this was _exactly_ what Jennifer was hoping for? She would know the only way for you to save Cora would to be giving up your power. Maybe that's what she was going to have you do at the hospital."

"Why?"

"So that you wouldn't be able to face the Alphas without her! She wants you to come to her. It's all part of her seduction and she is still seducing you. She _needs_ you on her side."

"That would explain why she's been after you this entire time." I added before there was a knock at the door. We went quiet for a second since anyone that needed any of us would just walk in.

"Let's see who's behind door number one." Peter sighed, going to open the door.

"You." It was Lydia.

"Me."

"You."

"....Me. Derek, you've got a visitor." He let the redhead in and she almost immediately asked about the nemeton.

"You don't know where it is? But Stiles said you had been there."

"We _have_. But, after a few memorable experiences, there, Talia. Derek's mother, my older sister, decided she didn't want us ever going back. She knew how dangerous it was and took the memory of it's location from us."

"But then how are we supposed to find it?"

"Ask Dakota, she saw it." Peter stated and Lydia looked to me.

"I was near dead when I found it- I don't know where the Hell it is."

~

"It's gotta be now. I don't have a choice."

"You always have a choice. It's whether or not you can live with the consequences of that choice and face Kali as a Beta." Peter said, standing next to Derek as he sat by his sister. Cora was breathing raggedly again, face pale and sweat coating her forehead as she slept restlessly.

"Yeah, but it's not just the full moon coming. It's a lunar eclipse. We'll all be powerless."

"Yeah, _including_ the big bad Fenris."

"Peter, it doesn't matter."

"Fine, then. Dakota, what do you have to say about this?"

"It's his choice."

"Are you serious? You choose now of all times to agree with Derek?" I gave the Beta a look, making him sigh as the Alpha took Cora's hand into his. He grabbed her arm with his other hand, clenching his jaw as the veins on his arms turned black. Cora stirred, and Derek was struggling the more he took form her.

His eyes went red as he bared his fangs, roaring in pain as the black spread further up his arms and he just kept going. The Alpha's eyes suddenly flashed blue and Cora's spine arched off of the bed as her eyes rolled back.

Something was definitely happening but I couldn't tell if this meant it was working or not- I'd never seen this done before. I so badly wanted to stop Derek, knowing that he was in pain and could possibly die from what he was doing, but I fought my own impulses to hold myself back. This is what he wanted to do. He wanted to save his sister.

I'd do the same thing if I could.


	17. Grip of Iron

"Easy." I mumbled, getting Derek to drink some water. He had passed out after healing Cora who woke up shortly after. Those hazel eyes of his spotted the female Beta as she was smiling down at him and relief crossed his face.

"You're okay."

"Doing much better that you are right now. All because of you."

"Hopefully not all for nothing." Peter popped off and I lowly growled at him. "Growl all you want, but the moon is rising. He drained his battery all the way to the red and there's a fully charged Alpha on her way here to rip him limb from limb."

"I'll be fine in a few hours."

"I sincerely hope so because a few hours is _all_ that you have."

"When's the eclipse?" I questioned, looking over my shoulder at the older wolf.

"Why? You think you can stop them before it happens?" He scoffed, but I didn't say anything and his expression shifted.

~

"We know about the lunar eclipse so don't think Kali is going to be sitting around waiting for it. She's coming. My brother is coming with her." Ethan said while standing by Lydia.

"Good enough for me. Derek?"

"You want me to run?"

"No." Peter replied. "I want you to stay and get slaughtered by an Alpha with a psychotic foot fetish. Of course I want you to run. Sprint. Gallop. Leap your way the Hell out of this town."

"If you want to fight and die for something, that's fine with me. But do it for something meaningful." Cora added.

"How do you know I'm gonna lose?"

"We don't. But I bet _she_ has an idea." Peter pointedly looked to the redhead. "Don't you Lydia?"

"I don't know anything."

"But you feel something....don't you?" The Beta walked towards Lydia as she avoided looking at him.

"What do you feel?"

"I feel like....I'm standing in a graveyard." She answered and I didn't say anything while grabbing Derek by the collar of his shirt and dragging him towards the door.

"Dakota, what are you doing?"

"What do you think? Getting your ass out of here."

"What happened to you wanting to stay and fight?"

"That was before Lydia said she felt like she was in a damn graveyard." I snapped and Derek firmly planted his feet down, not going any further. Taking in a deep breath through my nose, I turned to the wolf and looked him in the eye. "Look, I'll fight when the odds are in my favor or at least 50/50, but in this case it's neither. I listen to her." I pointed to the redhead without looking at her. "Her call brought me here, her call led me to Jennifer- she can sense things that, quite frankly, _none_ of us fucking can so if she says the odds don't look good, _you fucking listen_."

It was near silent in the loft as all eyes were on Derek and I now.

"You all don't know what it's like, you've all been raised in the world of man. If the birds fly from the trees and you aren't the reason for it, you fucking run. If the woods go quiet, you do, too. It's how you survive. Lydia- she's the birds. She's the warning. Take the fucking warning or I knock your ass out and drag you out of here myself."

"....Okay, I don't think she learned how to talk like that from the tablet."

~

"Don't call until you're at least a hundred miles away." Peter leaned onto the door of the vehicle on the passenger side as Derek got in. I sat in the back, already rolling down the window because I knew I was gonna get sick from the ride. "Go." And the tires squealed on the wet ground as Derek drove off, leaving his uncle behind.

I was going with Cora and Derek, being the only one really able to protect them from Kali if she gave chase. It was absolutely silent in the vehicle with the serious atmosphere, and I had my head practically hanging out of the window to keep from getting sick in the back seat.

Sure, cars were useful, but boy did we not agree with each other....

"If we're going to be on the run, I think we might want to pick up some Nauzene for Dakota."

"Cora, I don't think that would even work for a Fenris."

"Yeah, well, she looks like she's about to vomit all over your backseat." There was a pause and I felt eyes on me.

"Dakota, don't you dare."

"I'm not!" I growled, shooting Derek a glare. The light turned green and the male wolf had to turn back to look at the road. I suddenly sat up straight as a shrill scream filled my ears and Derek quickly pulled the car over.

"What the Hell was that?"

"Lydia." The siblings looked at each other for a second. "We have to go back."

"But what about Kali?"

"Just gonna have to deal with her." Derek sighed and turned the car around, speeding back to the loft. When we got there, the air was thick with the scent of werewolf blood and Kali was dead on the floor, shards of glass sticking out of her body as a hole was in the skylight. The twins were also down one the ground and Lydia was huddled behind a column.

And Jennifer was standing in the middle of it all.

"....You did this for me?"

"For us. For anyone who's ever been their victim."

"Stop talking to me like a politician. Stop trying to convince me of your cause!" Derek raised his voice and Cora was at Lydia's side.

"Fine. I'll convince you of someone else's. Scott. Could save his mother. Stiles's father."

"How?" Jennifer stepped towards Derek and I began to lowly growl as a warning.

"I need a guardian. That's a role that could be filled either the three parents I was forced to take....or by you."

"I can't help you. I'm not even an Alpha anymore."

"All I need is for you to get Deucalion in the right place at the right time."

"You just killed three of them on your own. What do you need me for?"

"You haven't seen him at his strongest. I have. If he's got Scott with him, I don't stand a chance. Unless I have you."

"Derek, _don't_ trust her." Cora spoke up and Jennifer went on.

"I have the eclipse in my favor. The moon's only going to be in the Earth's umbra shadow for 15 minutes- that's all I have, that's my window. There's no decision to struggle with. Help me kill him and the others live. Just _help_ me."

~

Jennifer and Derek went in through the front and I circled around the back of the building as lightening flashed across the sky. The air was thick with dust and fog, making it hard to see beyond a certain distance. Slipping into the building, I dropped my clothes onto the floor, shifting behind the cover of a large metal drum.

There was a loud crash and I looked to see Deucalion had thrown Derek and now had Jennifer by the neck. I didn't have any obligation to the woman, especially after everything she'd done, but Derek and Scott were pack.

"Kill her." The wolf with blackened skin and glowing red eyes growled. Scott didn't move and the Alpha roared, forcing the Beta to shift. "Now _kill_ her." My tail swayed as I lowered my body, feeling the muscles in my thighs tense before I bolted right for the Alpha, tackling him to the ground.

Deucalion roared, slashing with his claws at me as I was snarling and snapping my teeth at him. My fangs clamped onto his shoulder and I shook my head, tearing through meat and sinew. The Alpha dug his claws into my sides, digging deeper and deeper as blood pooled on the floor. I wanted to cry out from the pain, but if I did Deucalion would have an opening to break free. I couldn't let go- not yet at least.

"Dakota!"

Bone crunched beneath my jaws, but at the same time my teeth snapped the Alpha's collarbone, he broke some of my ribs with his knuckles. I kept biting, tasting blood in my mouth as my chest vibrated from the growls. Deucalion may be the Demon Wolf, but I was a Fenris- I was going to keep him down with everything I had until one of us gave our dying breath, no matter how bloody and painful it became.

I just had to hold on....wait....and not let go. At least, that'd be the case if the eclipse hadn't started. I felt panic rising as my body was forced to shift back, bone grinding and popping and I shouted as the Alpha's claws were still dug in deep.

Dropping to the ground, Deucalion was quick to move away as he was turning back as well. _'Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.'_ Panting, my breaths were labored as I tried to get up but with my body weakened by the eclipse, I wasn't even healing. My skin was red and sticky with blood and one of my broken ribs may have punctured a lung. I wasn't sure, though, I just knew it hurt like all Hell. I was in even more pain than when Jennifer had stabbed me and, _fuck_ , I was not used to this.

My first lunar eclipse outside of the woods and I was down. Now it was a whole different thing I had to hold on to- I had to stay alive until the eclipse was over. Jennifer had said it was only 15 minutes, right?

....Could I even hold on that long?

~

"Dakota! Dakota, just hang on! Okay? We're almost there." The world was swaying as I was straddling the line of conscious and unconscious, going between being blinded by light and left in total darkness. "Please!" A voice was begging, but I couldn't tell where it was coming from as it sounded like it was echoing in my ears.

"Deaton!" It was a different voice this time, urgent and panicked like the first.

"Quick, get her on the table." And it went dark again.


	18. Party

A roar ripped it's way out of my throat, nearly making my ears ring from how loud it was. The air shook as something was loudly beeping and I found myself panting and sitting in a small bed. Wildly looking around, I didn't know where the Hell I was- nothing smelt familiar. My nose burned from a sour and alcohol like scents, the walls and the floor were white and the beeping wouldn't stop.

Twisting, I punched the machine to silence it, sending sparks flying as my knuckles broke the monitor screen. Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, my bare feet hit the cold floor and I saw an IV hooked into my hand. Ripping out the needle, I let my eyes scan the room again.

I was in a hospital.

Why was I in a hospital?

I spun on my heel when the door opened, baring my teeth as a human walked in. She gasped, taking a step back as the door closed behind her.

"You're awake." She seemed a mix of relieved and scared, but my growling stopped as I recognized her. It was Scott's mom.

"Why...."

"....Dakota....I think you might want to sit down. You still need rest- Or, well, I think you do, I'm not sure since you're-"

"Why am I in here?"

"You were in a coma." I just looked at her, not saying anything and she shifted on her feet.

"Lady, I don't have a clue what a coma is. I'm still learning the English language."

"Feral. Right. How could I forget." The woman chuckled, relaxing as she stepped towards me. "A coma is basically a-a long period of time that you've been asleep."

"....How long?"

~

Digging through the fridge, I piled my arms full of food all the while having a slice of ham hanging from my mouth. Closing the refrigerator door with my foot, I carried the food to the counter and dropped it all there. Devouring the ham, I ripped open the bag of grapes before reaching for the bread.

Popping grapes into my mouth, I started putting together some sandwiches. Waking up from the coma had left me incredibly hungry, so even as I was making food I was eating. Chips, grapes, Twizzlers- whatever I could get my hands on, really.

The loft door slid open and I looked up to see Derek walk in. The wolf froze on the stairs, looking at me as his eyes went wide and my teeth crunched down on a Dorito.

"Hi." I gave a small wave before finding myself being enveloped in a tight hug. Derek buried his face between my neck and shoulder, holding me close as I reciprocated the hug. "Sorry for being M.I.A. for so long." Speaking softy, I rubbed my hand over the wolf's upper back. "Guess you really shouldn't get heavily injured during a lunar eclipse." Chuckling, I tried to lighten the atmosphere that had settled, but Derek only tightened his hold on me.

Sighing through my nose, I leaned into him, letting him take his time. For me, it hadn't been that long, but for Derek it had been weeks. Even though the eclipse had only been a for short period of time, the damage I took before losing all my power would have killed a normal human. My only saving grace was the fact that I _wasn't_ human.

The stubble on his jaw scraped against my cheek as he pulled back, his large hands cupping my cheeks before his lips pressed against mine.

"Let me make you a _real_ dinner." Derek softly smiled and I rubbed my nose against his while grinning.

"That'd be nice."

~

"Where'd you say the guy was that lives here?"

"He's out of town."

"What are you doing in here?" The two males spun around to look at me as I stood there, drying off my hair while wearing some of Derek's clothes for pajamas.

"Dakota! When, uh, when did you wake up?"

"When did you get a key?"

"Well, uh...."

"What's that?" My brows furrowed after seeing the other twin outside on the balcony. "Why's Aiden cranking a generator?" Ethan went quiet and the human shifted on his feet.

"Actually-"

"Look, ma'am, um....I kind of need a place for my party and Ethan said we could use this place- he was only trying to help me out, so-"

"Party? Here?" I quirked up a brow and they both nodded.

"If that's okay with you, of course." Ethan waved his hand to me and I narrowed my eyes. The twins weren't on the best terms with me, but I hadn't a clue what all had occurred during my coma. Maybe they were part of our pack now?

"I've never been to a party before." Shrugging, I draped the towel over my shoulders. "I've heard they're fun."

"Definitely." The human grinned and the wolf smiled, looking relieved. Aiden gave a thumb's up and the other twin flicked a switch on a light that glowed a purple-ish black, making the human's shirt oddly glow along with his teeth and eyes.

"Whoa...."

"Yeah, it's a black light." Ethan smiled. "Hey, Dakota, where's your clothes?"

"I just wear Derek's."

"You don't have any of your own?"

"Why do you think I'm always wearing his?" I stated and the human made a weird face.

"....Okay, then. Where are his?"

"Why?"

"Can't go to a party in pajamas." The wolf waved his hand and I narrowed my eyes before pointing out the dresser.

~

The room was full of bright colors and glowing lights, music was blasting from speakers and people were dancing all over the loft. They were covered in paint that glowed in the black lights and the bouncing bodies was almost mesmerizing.

"Come here." A hand grabbed mine and I saw Aiden grinning while dragging me through the crowd to a table near the wall of windows. A woman with glowing hair was there, painting the human I learned was called Danny. He sent me a toothy grin and Aiden covered his hands in paint before marking my face, making it glow from the bright colors on his palms.

"Do I have to be painted?" I questioned and the wolf laughed.

"No, but it's fun." He grabbed my arms, streaking them with the neon pigment. "Now go dance." He pushed me towards the crowd and I hesitated, looking over the sea of people in the loft. "Go on, I thought you were a predator! What are you scared of?" I heard the wolf laugh and I flashed my teeth at him before melting into the crowd. I could feel the music in my bones, vibrating with each beat from the bass.

The humans around me seemed to move to it in a sort of primal and fluid way. Lights were waving and flashing and I watched a bit more before copying the movement the humans displayed. My hands were above my head as I swayed to the music, drowning in the sound.

I lost track of time, bouncing with the music and people took turns dancing with me. Humans seemed to be a very social lot and with the music being so loud non of them really bothered to talk, making it easier as verbal English still wasn't my dominant language.

There was a loud crash as the music cut out and I saw Derek looking at the crowd.

"Get. Out!" He bellowed, not looking very pleased.

"Damn dude!" Someone shouted and the humans fled like mice. Watching them go, I felt an impulse deep down to give chase, but I knew that was only the animalistic instincts in me reacting to the fleeing herd. However, as the humans cleared, people dressed in black with silver masks were left standing in the loft. They moved as one, turning towards Aiden as black smoke drifted from them.

"Guys. They're all looking at me." They took one step towards the wolf and paused. "Why are they all looking at me?" He gained a panicked tone, and I couldn't for the life of me tell what they were. These....people weren't human- if they were even people. There was something off.... "Guys?!" Aiden rose his voice as they got closer.

Scott and Derek were the first to move, and I ran and jumped off of a table, landing on one's back. Baring my teeth, I suddenly found myself surrounded by black smoke as I hit the floor. _What the Hell were these things?_

A hand grabbed the back of my shirt collar and I was thrown into a wall. Grunted, I pushed myself back up and ran at the nearest on only to skid to a halt as the tip of a sword was aimed right at my face.

"Somebody do something!"

The things in black grabbed Aiden by his arms while another grabbed the side of his head. It's eyes began to glow and Aiden seemed dazed as his body went slack. I heard a hiss of something being burnt and smoke rose from behind the wolf's ear before he dropped to the ground. They turned to Scott now, advancing as his eyes turned red and he growled a warning.

They didn't heed him, only stepping closer until the morning sun lit the loft and they turned into black smoke, vanishing in the light.

"What the Hell were those things?" Scott questioned as Ethan ran to his brother. No one had an answer because _none_ of us knew.


	19. Kitsune

"You let them have a _party_ here?" Derek turned on me as soon as the others left.

"I didn't see any harm in it." I replied and he waved his hand to the trash all over the floor and the busted music equipment. "Okay, but you did that." His gaze hardened at me and I threw up my hands. "It was just a bunch of humans and loud music. It's not like they were hunters or something."

"Dakota-"

"Fine! I get it." Sighing, I ran a hand through my hair. "I just....I kind of wanted to see what it was like, you know? To have fun the way humans did." Derek's shoulders relaxed and his expression softened. "I thought it could be a way for me to, I don't know, branch out? I'm so used to just focusing on survival that I wanted to try just.... _not_ doing that."

Derek walked towards me, gently grabbing my face before kissing me on the forehead.

"I go out to buy candy, and I come back to a rave and shadow ninjas." The wolf sighed, running his thumb over my cheek. "Don't do it again."

"I can't promise that. I mean, it was pretty fun." I laughed at the look he got on his face and Derek rolled his eyes at me before turning away.

"Let's just get this place cleaned up."

~

My claws going across a metal plate created sparks as the thing in black was turning away from the teenaged girl to me. I quickly ducked, avoiding the sword swung at me. Three of them had appeared in Scott's house already as glass was shattering everywhere. Windows were broken as the twins busted into the house and Scott through one of the things through another window.

"Now, Mom! Do it now!" Scott shouted and the last two creatures were thrown through the back and front door. They didn't try to get back into the house, only standing just outside of the opened doors and windows.

"....Why'd they stop?"

"Ash wood." Scott replied and I glanced to the Alpha.

" _All_ the baseboards are ash wood?" Derek questioned.

"Uh, yeah. It was Deaton's idea." Scott paused, then turned to Derek. "Where the Hell did you two come from?"

"Been following you."

"For how long?"

"All day." Derek looked at the Alpha like he was stupid.

"Scott! This isn't good!" Melissa screamed from the other room and the teenager rushed off.

"Remind me how he's an Alpha again." I placed my hands onto my hips and the Beta glanced at me.

"True Alpha. Earned it rather than taking it."

"Aiden!"

"Watch." Raised voices came from the kitchen, grabbing my attention. "See that? She can't go through it either. So _what_ are you?"

"She's a kitsune, you idiots." Derek stated, walking into the kitchen as I trailed after. _'The Hell is a kitsune?'_ "Use your eyes. You can see it all around her. The younger ones give off an Aura. She just hasn't learned how to conceal it yet. She probably doesn't know what kind she is, either."

"....What's a kitsune?"

"Nine-tailed fox."

"Fox?" My brows furrowed and Derek gestured to the girl.

"Go ahead, look." The girl shifted on her feet and my eyes turned silver, making her gasp as I looked at her. All around her was an orange-ish red glow covering her entire body, and around her head really did look like a fox.

"Dakota!" Scott came sliding into the kitchen, looking rather worried as his scent was laced with panic. "You can get through the ash, right?"

"Yes. But it hurts."

"Whoa, wait, _what_?"

"I-I need you to get my dad out of here."

"How am I supposed to do that with the place surrounded?" I questioned, pointing to the black clad figure still standing by the back door. Scott paused, looking around quickly.

"Could you do it if we distract them?"

"How would you manage that? They only want to get i-" I was cut off from the house shaking and I turned my head to see the creatures banging on the invisible barrier with the hilts of their swords.

"What are they doing?"

"Testing for weaknesses." The shaking caused dishes to fall and smash against the floor the hanging light fixture began to sway and the shadow ninja was banging the hilt of his sword against the barrier. Two were trying to cut into it, and one pressed it's hand as far as it could and I had a bad feeling....

The ash wouldn't keep them out for long.

"Guys....we have a problem."

"Oh, shit." Scott backed away from the opened back door and went closer to the living room. He pulled his phone from his pocket, keeping eyes on the creatures as he called Allison.

"Scott, gonna have to do something." The barrier broke and the black clad beings stepped into the house.

"Don't do anything." Scott lowered his phone, standing by the fox as she had unease and fear coming off of her in waves.

"Is he serious?"

"I said, don't do anything." The Alpha slowly turned to the girl and held out his hand to her. She took is and he brought her to stand right beside him just as one of the creatures turned to me. "Dakota, I need you to stand still."

"What?!"

"Just do it, okay? Just trust me." I shot the boy a look, but I complied as my nerves ran higher with every step the thing took towards me. An icy hand grabbed the side of my head as eyes within the mask began to glow like bright fireflies.

I found myself unable to move as the heat felt like it was being drained from my body. I went numb, staring into those glowing lights set deep within the mask. The silver teeth shined on the snarling face, but I sensed no malice- I didn't sense much of anything, really, just....cold and nothing.

Falling to the ground when it let me go, I could hear my own heartbeat and steady breaths while staring at the ceiling. There was a dull ache behind my ear and Derek's face came into view as he sat me up, resting my back onto his bicep.

"This is going to hurt." He said lowly by my ear and I bared my teeth while growling after he broke my arm. Heat flooded my veins as bone snapped back into place and reconnected. I heard the twins give a similar procedure to Scott and the girl.

~

"This is what they did?" I questioned, looking behind Derek's ear at the burn mark that looked like a backwards 5.

"It's what they leave after checking for the Nogitsune."

"The dark kitsune?" He nodded and I plopped down in front of the wolf while looking at him with furrowed brows. "What do you know about kitsunes?"

"They're not like us. Known to be tricksters, but not all of them." He began, shifting to get more comfortable as he crossed his arms. "There's thirteen different kinds- the rarest being the Nogitsune." Derek went on and I listened, learning more about these fox creatures and the one the shadow beings were after.


	20. Nogitsune

"What do you mean he's missing?!" I growled, standing in front of the young Alpha as he held a bag.

"Look, we don't have time to really get into this, Dakota, but we need as many people on this as possible before Stiles freezes to death out there." Scott handed me the bag and I took it. "Now, will you help us or not?"

"Of course I will." Opening the bag, I pulled out the jacket inside and held it close to my face, breathing in slow and deep to get the human's scent. Once I had it, I passed the jacket to Derek and kicked off my shoes.

"What are you doing?"

"We'll find him faster by splitting up, right? Well, it'll be even faster with my other nose."

"What if he's in the city? People can't see you shifted."

"I'll call for someone that can go in."

"You won't have any pockets for a phone."

"Scott, I can howl." The Alpha's expression changed as if he had forgotten that was a way we could contact one another.

~

The air was cold enough to see my breath as the forest was quiet all around me. I passed trees, bushes, all half barren of leaves while the stragglers were various shades of brown and yellow. My ear twitched and I raised my head, smelling the air as the current shifted.

It was there- Stiles's scent. Strong, recent, and close. Dropping to all fours, I ran- was there some building out here? If so, how in the Hell did Stiles get into it? Scott had said he was in an industrial basement, but as far as I knew there were no large buildings in this direction. I began to pick up a different scent, older though, but strong and mixed with rot- Coyote.

The air became foul the closer I got, but I kept going, following the human's scent until I found a coyote den. I listened, standing close to the rocks as I kept my body low. There was breathing, a heartbeat, and fear tickled my nose. There was no doubt about it; Stiles was in an abandoned coyote den.

Peeking my head inside, the human was curled up on the ground, barefoot and in his pajamas while whimpering and rocking back and forth. He was freezing, but he was already beyond shivering and he was going to die at this rate.

Climbing into the den, there wasn't much room to move around and I gently touched the boy's arm. Stiles swung out at me, screaming and eyes snapping open while looking wild. I grabbed his wrist, but he started hitting with his other hand and kicking. Dirt, dust, and dead leaves flew around the den from the human struggling, but it was easy to pin his arms to his sides and keep his legs still and on the ground.

He struggled and screamed more, and I knew he wasn't fully aware of what was happening so I just held him down to keep him from hurting himself. My chest began to rumble with a soothing purr and only then did the human start to calm down. Stiles was breathing heavily, shaking as the scent of fear slowly decreased and I carefully moved to boy off of the ground and into my arms.

His skin was cold to the touch and he was whimpering again, crying as his eyes closed and he curled up against me. What was happening to him?

I knew humans were frail, easily broke and were very emotional, but this....this wasn't normal. My ears perked when I saw the phone on the ground and I flipped it over to look at it. The battery was dead, so there was no use in trying to get it to work.

Sighing, I continued to purr to help calm the boy down as my own body heat and fur warmed him. Most humans I didn't care what happened to them, but Stiles? Stiles was different. He was good. He cared, he helped, he tried.

Nudging his forehead with my nose, Stiles didn't even seem to react- he was asleep. Carefully wiping his dirty and tear stained face with the back of my hand, I just sat there and held him, letting the cold human slowly warm back up.

Minutes passed on as I waited, keeping a close eye on Stiles and his condition. When he seemed calmer and back to the temperature humans were normally at, I carefully got him out of the coyote den and carried him through the forest.

Now....what would humans normally do in a situation like this? Did he need to go to the hospital? I wouldn't be able to take him, not looking like this. Looking around the forest, I shifted my hold on the human and listened to the quiet. However, now that I was out of the coyote den, that horrible smell from before was covering the two of us.

I didn't know what it was exactly, but it wasn't from the coyote that had once called that hole home, it was something else much like chemicals. Once Stiles was safe and taken care of, I was definitely going to shower to get this nasty smell off of me.

Throwing my head back, I howled loud and clear to call to the wolves before waiting and listening. A few howls came as a reply from far off, but I could tell two were from the twins and one was from Derek. Good, they knew I had found Stiles. Now I just had to get somewhere they could get to and let them take the human.

Stiles pretty much remained asleep as I walked through the forest, however, he was quiet now and looked more at peace compared to before. This boy may be human, but he was pack and I'd protect him with everything I had if it came down to it.

I saw headlights as I neared the edge of the road and my ears turned back as my fur bristled. Backing up, I hid behind a tree, looking at the cop car as the passenger and driver side doors opened. Relief flooded me and I entered the light from the vehicle.

"Stiles!" The older man called, running over along with Scott. The man eyed me, seeming hesitant, but quietly thanked me while the Alpha took his son from me. "Hurry, get him in the car." The two worked together to get the human into the backseat before climbing back into the car and speeding off to the hospital. Another vehicle pulled up after they were gone and I shifted back into my human looking self.

Opening the door on the passenger side, I climbed in and buckled up while Derek watched me.

"Where'd you find him?"

"Some coyote den."

"Malia's?"

"Who?"

"Scott didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"A little while ago, Scott and Stiles found a feral werecoyote." Derek turned the vehicle around, driving down the road while passing the forest on either side. "She was living out here in some den- and I'm pretty sure you found it with the way you smell."

"Yeah, what is that?"

"The cops sprayed the den with animal repellent. It became a secondary crime scene when Malia's stuff was found in there."

"Crime scene?"

"She killed her mother and sister after turning in the car. Of course, authorities thought it was an animal attack."

"Where is she now?"

"With her dad. However....he doesn't know what she is."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Can't be helped."

"Derek, why does it seem like there's so much happening at once in this town?" I sighed and the Beta went quiet as he kept his eyes on the road.


	21. Ding

"You need to eat."

"No."

"Dakota-"

"Not hungry."

"I know that's not true."

"It is."

"Look, I understand you're upset about all of this, but you can't starve yourself over it."

"I'm not starving." Derek's eyebrows raised on his forehead just after my stomach loudly growled. Not long after I had found Stiles and he had gotten to the hospital, it was discovered that it was him that the Nogitsune possessed and the boy was yet again missing. However, no matter how much I tried to track his scent or find him, I ended up going in circles or hitting dead ends.

"It's only been two days, he'll turn up eventually. The Nogistune feeds on chaos and strife- you can't have either of those if you stay in hiding." Derek set down the food he had and gestured to it. "Until then, you need to eat or you'll be too weak to do _anything_." Glancing to the plate, I looked back to the Beta but didn't say anything.

~

"The Hunter and the Banshee." Peter smiled as he turned towards the door once it opened. "Ladies, come in." Allison and Lydia entered the loft and I quietly went to the staircase, watching the hunter from a safe distance. "She goes."

"Last time I was alone with you, I almost bled out in a lacrosse field. She stays."

"Do you _actually_ think I was trying to kill you?" Peter asked. "When I bit you, you were my backup plan, remember? Not to mention the bite is what brought out your recent abilities. You think power like that was gonna come out on it's own?" He clicked his tongue while shaking his head. "I'm the spark that lit your fire, sweetheart."

"You attacked her and nearly killed her."

"Power doesn't come without a little pain to make you stronger."

"I didn't ask for it."

"But you're embracing it now, aren't you?"

"How about the fact that you brainwashed her and used her to bring yourself back to life?"

"So that I could be here today to help you master your abilities. Isn't it amazing how things come full circle?"

"He's insane. We're leaving." Allison turned to Lydia, and the redhead took the hunters hand as they went to leave.

"You want the truth, Lydia? It's not the scream that gives you power, all the scream does is help drown out the noise, allowing you to hear what you really need to. I can help you to focus your hearing."

"But you want something in return." The two girls stopped, looking at Peter once again as he leaned onto the table.

"No, I'm dedicating my life to helping out narcissistic teenage girls. Of course I want something in return." The wolf picked up the container holding Talia's claws and dumped them onto the table.

"....These are the claws of Derek's mother?" Allison picked up one of the claws while making a face.

"My sister, Talia, before she died she stole a memory from me. Something only a very powerful Alpha can do. That memory is locked inside those claws."

"Why would your sister want to steal a memory from you?" Lydia shifted on her feet while looking at Peter.

"Well, if I remembered the memory, I might be able to tell you."

"So what am I supposed to do?"

"Well, first, I need Allison gone."

"We already went over this. I'm not-"

"You won't be." Peter sighed through his nose, turning to glance right at me as I stood in the corner behind the stairs. "But Dakota isn't all too trusting of hunters. Especially Argents. I'm surprised you haven't noticed her lurking."

"But I didn't do anything to her. We actually get along-"

"Are you forgetting that was before she knew you were a hunter? Or how about after she found out you were Gerard's granddaughter?"

"What does Gerard have to do with this?" Allison became defensive, setting down the claw she had been holding back onto the table.

"Let's just say the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."

"What?" Allison furrowed her brows and Peter rolled his eyes.

"It was Gerard that killed Dakota's family. He burned them alive and killed them like your lovely aunt Kate did to our family." Peter half-shrugged while tilting his head. "She doesn't exactly feel comfortable around you."

"Gerard and Kate's actions have nothing to do with me."

"And I don't feel comfortable around you."

"Yeah, well, neither of us have exactly had the best experiences with your family and I can't really do anything to you with Dakota here." Peter turned to Lydia and smiled. "Dakota has strict....morals surrounding the topic of killing. Plus, she likes you, so I can't hurt you either."

"I stay." Allison stated while looking right at the older male.

"Then I guess Dakota's just going to keep lurking."

"Can you just tell me what you want me to do?" Lydia questioned and Peter handed the claws to her.

"Just focus and listen."

"That's it?"

"That's it." That was not it. Time went on and the redhead started pacing while the wolf grew agitated.

"Focus!"

"I _am_ focusing."

"You're _not_. I can see the wheels spinnin' behind your eyes. Your ears are attuned to a level of the universe no one else can hear. But _only_ if you're listening."

"I am trying."

"Try harder." Peter growled while stepping towards Lydia, but he was stopped as Allison raised a stun baton right in front of his throat. A low rumble began to fill the room and the wolf raised his eyebrows at the brunette. "I'd heed the Fenris's warning."

"You really think she'd protect _you_?"

"I think the fact that she's growling shows that she likes me more than you. Go on, give her a reason to kill another hunter."

"Stop it." Lydia snapped, but Peter went on.

"You want to meet the same fate your mommy did?"

"How about I shove this up your-"

"I said stop it!" The redhead screamed, throwing Talia's claws across the room and Peter barely dodged getting hit by one of them. All five became lodged in a support beam and my growling died off as Lydia's expression changed.

"Lydia? Lydia, do you hear something?" The man asked as the banshee walked towards the claws. "What is it? What are they saying? Is it the memory? What did Talia take from me? Tel me what she knew!" Lydia slowly turned and looked right at the wolf.

"You're not just an uncle." And from the look that dawned on Peter's face, she didn't have to clarify.

"Who?"

"I don't know."

" _Who?_ " He advanced on the redhead and she slowly backed away.

"I said, I don't know. I don't know it's name, if it's a boy or a girl, if it's some mutated wolf baby." My head cocked to the said at Lydia's words- she was lying. She knew.

"You're lying." Peter said lowly, also picking up on the signs. "Tell me what you know. Tell me. Tell me!" He grabbed Lydia and shook her, and before Allison could even reach for her stun baton, Peter was already on the ground. "Dakota! Get off of me!"

"Now we're leaving." The hunter quickly grabbed Lydia's hand and they hurried out of the loft as the wolf struggled under me, his face pressing against the cold concrete of the floor as I was pushing down on his back.

"Lydia!" Peter roared after them as the loft door closed and it began to rain outside while thunder cracked. "Dakota, get the fuck off of me! Now!"

~

Occasional dinging filled the loft as rain beat down on the windows and the skylight. It was dark out now and I hadn't bothered turning on any of the lights, just curled up on the couch with the tablet. Derek had yet to come back home and it was already getting late, Peter had stormed off as soon as I had let him go, and now it was just me alone in the loft.

The tablet dinged.

Stiles was possessed by the Nogitsune.

Ding.

No one knew how to find him or get it out.

Ding.

The Nogitsune was responsible for people nearly dying or actually dying already, and I hadn't a clue if it was doing more damage as I sat there and listened to the rain.

Ding.

I was on edge with all this not knowing, all this having to wait, having to be patient, not being able to do anything.

Ding.

Things were happening that were beyond my control and it was only going to delve into more chaos as time marched on.

Ding.

I was tired. I was stressed. I just wanted to go to sleep and wake up to find that this was all just a bad dream and the pack would be all crowded in the loft and bugging Derek like before.

Ding.

I wanted to be back to talking to Stiles on the couch, learning as the human just kept rambling on and on about various different topics.

Ding.

I wanted to be able to just go to sleep in Derek's arms and my only worry being what I'd have for breakfast the next morning.

Ding.

I wanted to not be so useless despite having so much power. I had all this potential, but I didn't know what the fuck to do with it. I didn't know how to harness it all and use it.

Ding.

I was the last known Fenris, where was I going to learn the things I needed to know about being a Fenris? How was I going to learn how to be useful even in situations like this? To people like Stiles? Like Lydia? Scott? Derek? The twins? How was I going to become more useful in more complex situations like now?

Ding.


	22. Round and Round the Circle Goes

Sliding open the loft door, I blankly looked at the man standing on the other side. He gave a gentle smile while looking down at me and I glanced to the large duffel bag at his side.

"I've heard from Scott that you could use some help."

"Apologies, Dr. Deaton, but I don't think you can give me the help I need."

"On the contrary." He raised his eyebrows and gestured. "May I come in?" Stepping to the side, I let him enter the loft, sliding the door closed behind him.

"How is a Druid supposed to help me?" I questioned.

"Druids have been helping your kind long before we were helping the werewolves." Dr. Deaton replied, setting the duffel bag down in the middle of the floor. I watched as he crouched beside it and opened the bag. "Many things may have been lost to time, but there are still a great number more of things Druids still know of the Fenris. You lost your family and emissary when you were still a child, too young to learn what you needed to from them."

"So what, you're going to teach me those things?" The man softly smiled while looking up at me, pulling a few things from the bag.

"I'm going to try. First, we need to unlock your repressed memories to see what you _do_ know. I will guide you through it, so as long as you listen to my voice, we can avoid anything too traumatic."

"If you mean the fire, I already remember that."

"Well, you only remember what you know you remember. There may be things you've forgotten that you wouldn't know that you've forgotten."

"....So how does this work?"

"I need you to sit on the floor while holding this." Dr. Deaton handed me a large animal skull with symbols carved deep into the bone.

"Why not the ice bath like with Isaac?"

"You're different from Isaac, Dakota. The same method wouldn't work with you, not with your body being so adapted to both extremely low and high temperatures." He chuckled, setting up a circle of sticks and dried plants.

"How do you know that this way will work?"

"I don't, but it wouldn't hurt to try. Now would it?" Shaking my head, I sat in the middle of the circle with the skull in my lap, watching Dr. Deaton finish setting up the circle.

"Now, I need you to be relaxed. Try to clear your mind." The doctor pulled out a match and began to light some of the sticks- they made a dark, scented smoke as they slowly burned.

Taking a deep breath, I let it out while letting my shoulders relax. Closing my eyes, I hyper focused on the man's steady heartbeat to clear all else from my mind.

"I'm going to count down from ten. When I get to one, I want you to answer any question I ask as honestly as possible. Do you understand?"

"I do."

"Good." His voice was utterly calm as the scented smoke filled my nostrils. "Ten....nine....eight....seven....six....five....four....three....two......one." My breathing slowed as I sat up straight, hearing the two beating hearts in the room and nothing more. "Is your name Dakota Lycaon?"

"Yes."

"Is your father Lucius, mother Mary, and your sister Lisa?"

"Yes."

"Did you ever meet me when you were a child?"

"....Yes."

"Good. Dakota, I want you to tell me your emissary's name."

"Greyson."

"Was it Greyson that taught you to control your shift during the full moon?"

"Yes."

"What else did they teach you?"

"Ash."

"Ash? What about ash?"

"Mountain ash."

"Greyson taught you about mountain ash?"

"Yes."

"What else?"

"....How to break through it."

"....How?"

"Greyson would take Lisa and I....put us into mountain ash traps....made us struggle....we broke out, or we were left there for hours."

"Lisa could also cross mountain ash?"

"....No."

"Why not?"

"Too weak. Greyson said she was too weak. Not enough spark."

"What do you mean by 'spark'?"

"Power."

"Dakota, what else did Greyson teach you and your sister?" The gentle voice continued to question me as two steadily thumping beats echoed in my ears.

"How to smell a wolf. Wolves not like us....tainted. More human. How to spot a hunter. Use our senses without turning."

"Did Greyson teach you how to connect to the Primal?"

"That's not allowed."

"Why is that?"

"It's too dangerous."

"And why is that, Dakota?"

"Too much spark." I felt my eyebrows knit together. "Mother could do it.... Father could do it.... Lisa could."

"Why couldn't you, Dakota?"

"Greyson forbid it."

"Why?"

"I would lose myself....be consumed by the wolf."

"Why would you be consumed by the wolf?"

"Why I can break the ash and they couldn't."

"....Did Greyson teach you about the Primal?"

"No. Also forbidden."

"Have you ever met a wolf from the Hale pack?"

"Yes."

"As a child?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Talia."

"You've met Talia?"

"Yes. Many times." My voice droned as memories of the woman flooded my mind. "She had tea with us. Promised we could live here so long as we followed the laws."

"Pack laws?"

"Her laws. Didn't mind them, the humans were too boring to bother."

"Did you ever meat another wolf from the Hale pack?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Lisa's friend. He came with Talia sometimes."

"And who was that, Dakota?"

"Derek. I would watch them play while having tea with Talia."

"Lisa and Derek were friends?"

"Yes. They met in school....he was why Greyson taught us how to scent the too human wolves."

"Why did you have tea with Talia rather than play with Lisa and Derek? Was it also something Greyson forbid?"

"No. I preferred Talia's company. Her stories....they were more interesting than her pup and Lisa rolling in the grass." A gentle chuckle came from the man.

"I see. Now, what about your parents? Did Lucius and Mary ever say anything about you connecting to the Primal?"

"They also forbid it. They heeded Greyson's words."

"How did they train you to protect yourself without the Primal?"

"I was strong. Stronger than most- I didn't need to worry about not having the Primal. Unlike Lisa, I inherited our father's spark."

"But power isn't inherited."

"Different spark."

"What kind of spark?"

"I can't tell you. Can't tell anyone."

"It's okay, you can tell me, Dakota. What kind of spark?" The man asked and I slowly opened my eyes as they burned a bright silver. "Why was it dangerous for you to connect to the Primal?"

" _~Round and round, the circle goes: Alpha, Beta, Omega, prey. If you're too weak, you're lead astray. Alpha, Beta, Omega, prey. The wolves hunt the prey, they die, they rot, they're stuck in the clay. Alpha, Beta, Omega, prey. The strong they rise, the weak they fall. Alpha, Beta, Omega, prey. The wolves that fall, to the Alpha they call. Alpha, Beta, Omega, prey. When the Alpha calls, to the enemy death befalls. Alpha, Beta, Omega, prey.~_ "

"I need you to answer the question, not sing an old Fenris rhyme. Why was it dangerous for you to connect to the Primal?"

"I've given you your answer, Druid. I'm forbidden from telling directly, it is now up to you to decipher my words." One of the heartbeats I heard briefly fluttered while images of Lisa and I running in the woods while singing that rhyme played in my head.

"Dakota....are you an Alpha?" The burning incense suddenly went out as the smoke was cleared away and a new symbol was burned onto the skull in my hands.


	23. Under Lock and Key

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING: Mature content ahead*

"Dr. Deaton, why am I here? Why won't you just tell me what happened?"

"Because I'm afraid there's more to your situation than I previously knew."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means your repressed childhood memories weren't repressed by trauma. They were intentionally locked away."

"By who?"

"Your family's emissary." The man looked at me while grabbing the wooden tray full of glass jars with symbols on them.

"How do you know that?"

"Certain things you said, not to mention the sigil that appeared on the skull just before you came to." Dr. Deaton grabbed some of the jars and set them to the side before pulling out a mortar and pestle.

"What are you doing?"

"Dakota, as an adult Fenris, your inability to connect to the Primal is not only a danger to you, but to those around you."

"The Primal?"

"It's what the Fenris call a certain ability they have. You know how some Alphas can shift into different kinds of werewolves?"

"Yes."

"The Primal is sort of like that, only instead of a physical outer change, it's an increase in strength, speed, your senses become keener-" He explained while opening the jars and pouring some of the dried plants into the mortar.

"So basically it's a power up?"

"Exactly. It's connecting even more to the wolf inside."

"....You mean becoming less human?"

"....Yes. However, a Fenris can usually retain control and revert back, disconnecting from the Primal."

"Usually?"

"There are some that....lose themselves. Become stuck as the wolf."

"What if that happens to me if I try this? Try connecting to the Primal?"

"Your risk of doing so has greatly diminished as you've gotten older since you're more experienced now at controlling your animalistic urges."

"You mean I was at risk when I was younger?"

"I'm afraid so, and because of that your emissary and family both kept you from even learning about the Primal in attempts to keep you safe."

"Why would I have been at risk?" I questioned, watching the doctor mixing and grinding the plants together. His face went serious as he slowly looked up at me.

"Dakota, I believe the reason your family moved to Beacon Hills may have to do with you and the fact that Talia was here."

"What do you mean? What does Derek's mom have to do with this?"

"The Hale pack was the strongest pack for miles around- Talia was a powerful Alpha, yet kind-"

"Please, get to the point."

"She'd offer protection to you and your family. Protection they and you would very much need."

"Hate to break it to you, but that didn't work out so well, now did it?" Deaton sighed while shaking his head.

"Talia could only do so much. However, I don't think your family's deaths had anything to do with why they came here. That may be a completely unrelated matter." The man poured what looked like water from one jar into the mortar, turning the powder into a paste as he mixed it.

"Why do I get the feeling your dancing around something? What are you doing?"

"What I'm doing is trying to break the lock that's been placed on you. It seems to have only been meant as temporary, but with everything that happened and how you've been in the wild all these years, it's remained."

"Lock? Deaton, please just speak plainly." I sighed, rubbing my temples.

"Dakota, you are a _very_ powerful Fenris. Your family and your emissary worried for your safety because of it, and as a means to protect you from yourself, your emissary made it impossible for you to connect to the Primal."

"So, why am I standing in your clinic then?"

"Because I didn't have the right tools with me." Dr. Deaton went to a drawer and pulled out a needle. I watched as he put on a pair of gloves and grabbed a vial and a long band made from rubber. "I need to take some of your blood."

"Why?"

"The lock is specific to you, the key needs to match." He explained and I held out my arm to him. Dr. Deaton wrapped the tourniquet around my bicep, cleaned a section of my arm, then carefully stuck the butterfly needle into my arm. Blood quickly filled the tube he then attached to the vial, collecting it all in the small container.

~

"Dakota! My, my, I was beginning to think you'd run off again." Peter popped off as I opened the loft door. It looked as if he were leaving just as I was coming in.

"Piss off." I gave a warning growl and he just made a face as we rounded each other and went opposite ways. Closing the door behind me as the older wolf walked down the hall, I turned to see Derek putting pieces onto a chess board. "Why do I get the feeling I missed something important?"

"Because you did. The Nogitsune."

"What the Hell happened to your shoulder?!" I grabbed Derek's arm, seeing the huge gash that wasn't healing.

"You also missed the shadow ninjas." He placed another piece onto the chess board, not seeming to care about the wound in the slightest.

"....Look, I'm sorry I wasn't here-"

"Where were you?"

"I was with Dr. Deaton. He....he's helping me."

"Helping you what?" The Beta glanced over his shoulder to me.

"Teaching me things I should have learned from my family and my emissary."

"Well, that's helpful." Derek droned, but it didn't seem like his lack of interest was due to him being upset. He seemed more....exhausted. Sighing through my nose, I went quiet while hearing the chess pieces clack onto the board as he set each one down into its appropriate place.

Moving the strap of his tank top to the side, I began to lick at the wound on his shoulder to help it heal faster. Derek only briefly glanced to me before turning his attention back to the board. Quiet filled the loft as the only light came from the lamp on the table. I could taste wolf blood on my tongue, and the wound was slowly closing up.

Derek suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me in front of him. My butt hit the edge of the table, knocking some of the chess pieces over.

"Wha-" I opened my mouth to ask something, but my voice was silenced by the look on the man's face as he slowly leaned down to my level, pushing the board and books onto the floor as he did so. A low growl rumbled deep within Derek's chest as his face was right next to mine, his fangs grazing along my jaw. My heart picked up pace as his large hands gripped my thighs, easily picking me up and setting me down onto the edge of the table.

He nipped at my ear while spreading my legs, bringing his body flush against mine. I purred as his tongue ran up the side of my neck, my claws ripping through his thin shirt. Derek pushed me down onto the table before quickly pulling my clothes off, the scent of his arousal suffocating me the entire time.

The wolf yanked me closer to the edge of the table as he went to his knees. Moaning as his tongue slid over my clit, I twitched while his claws scraped across my thighs. The Beta had his face pretty much buried between my legs while still lowly growling, adding a vibration to his tongue that made my head roll back as my nails dug into the table.

That tongue of his was teasing over my clit while his claws left short-lived, shallow cuts from how hard he was gripping my thighs.

"Fuck~!" I gasped, my back arching from the long, harsh licks the wolf gave while growling. I was panting, feeling how my face and ears burned from the rushing blood. Derek grabbed the back of my knees, pushing my legs towards my chest until they nearly hit the table on either side as he stood. His hot cock pressed against my core, sliding in the slick and saliva as he rocked his hips. I moaned from the tantalizing friction, baring my teeth at Derek as a warning to stop teasing me.

He only snarled back, rocking even slower than before just to spite me. My clit was throbbing and I was already becoming impatient with the Beta's antics. Bucking my hips up, Derek grunted while clenching his jaw. He growled as if to say 'fine' then dropped his gaze while leaning back.

The head of his cock prodded my entrance before pressing forward, causing me to moan as he inched his way inside. My claws dug deeper into the table as his grip on my thighs tightened, still holding my legs in place and spread far apart. Derek began to thrust his hips into mine, rocking the table as he looked down at me, his hazel eyes turning to that bright Beta blue.

Derek leaned over me, bringing his face close to mine without stopping or slowing the movement of his hips.

"Touch yourself." He growled, his ears beginning to point out as his teeth glinted in the low lighting. His hot breath fanned over my skin as the table began to creak, and I did as told. One hand went between my legs, rubbing circles over my clit not so delicately while my other hand was on my chest, groping my breast and digging my claws into my skin for that pleasurable nip of pain.

Lips crashed against mine and the wolf devoured my moans, his tongue sliding past my fangs to caress my own. Derek snapped his pelvis into mine, getting rougher as he bit my bottom lip until he pulled away and used my legs to flip me onto my stomach. My toes barely brushed the cold floor, so my only real support was the table as the Beta pounded into me, his fingers tangling into my hair and pulling while his teeth sunk into my shoulder.

I left deep claw marks on the wooden table as the lamp shook on the corner and I howled in pleasure. Derek was grunting and groaning, the noises being muffled since he was biting me. Blood dripped onto the table when the wolf parted his jaws, and the wound was already healing as he licked it clean while groaning.

Derek buried his face between my neck and shoulder, placing both of his hands onto the table for better stability and the lamp finally fell off the edge of the table, sending the loft into complete darkness as it shattered on the concrete floor.

"Derek~! Aaahh~! Fuck~!" The Beta's hot tongue ran over my skin, his sharp fangs scraping along the way while his thick cock completely filled me. I shook and moaned, unable to be still with the pleasure wracking my body and Derek drowning my senses.

~

Stretching as I woke up, I yawned and rubbed my eyes. Getting up, I scratched the back of my head while going towards the kitchen- until my leg caught on something and I became aware of a metallic noise. Looking down, I saw a chain around my ankle.

"What the...." My brows furrowed as I followed the thick links to the nearest support column. Looking around the loft, I saw that I was completely alone. Grabbing the chain, I tugged on it but nothing happened- whatever it was made from was a strong material, probably industrial grade.

How the Hell did this get on me?

Wrapping both hands around the chain, I placed one foot onto it to hold it onto the floor. Grunting, I pulled, hearing the metal start to creak and groan in protest. When it finally snapped, I stumbled back from the force and the broken chain rattled to the floor.

I had a hard time believing it, but there was only one person that could have put this chain on me- but I couldn't fathom why. Why would he want to try and keep me here?

....He was going to do something dangerous.

~

It wasn't hard to follow the wolf's trail, he didn't seem to even bother covering it, so when I finally found him the first thing I did was punch him.

"Dakota, what the Hell?!" Derek snarled, holding his jaw as I bared my teeth at him.

"What the fuck were you thinking? You really thought a fucking chain would stop me? What did you do?" I growled.

"Dakota-"

"Tell me! What did you do? Why'd you put this fucking thing on me?" I raised my voice, pointing to the broken chain still tight around my ankle with a padlock.

"Nogitsune." Derek sighed.

"What?"

"The Nogitsune. It....somehow got my head. It was controlling me." He ran a hand through his hair and my shoulders slumped.

"Oh, and I just- I'm so sorry." My temper did a 180 as I grabbed Derek's face to check the forming bruise on his lower cheek. "I didn't know you were- how is that even possible? Wait, what are you even doing here?" I questioned.

"Well, I almost burned Argent alive." He replied under his breath and I glanced to the apartment building.


	24. Ethan and Aiden

"Run!" Derek yelled, picking up the more wounded twin from the ground while the other scrambled to his feet. I forced the running twin to duck his head down, and the tree just to our side got a splintered hole in the bark from the bullet burying itself deep into the wood, barely missing the twin's skull.

Shots rang out in the air, echoing through the trees as we dodged bullets. I bared my teeth from a sharp stinging pain as one shot skimmed my bicep.

~

"Where are we?"

"It's a coyote den. Stay quiet." Derek whispered.

"Did you see the shooter? You know who it is?"

"No, I was a little busy. Who have you two pissed off?"

"We pissed off everyone. It was only a matter of time before someone caught up to us."

"Well, it's a matter of time until you two die." I popped off, looking at some of the bullet wounds under Ethan's jacket. His blood was turning black and the flesh around each wound was red and gnarly. "Wolfsbane bullets."

"Stay quiet. I'll be back." Derek turned to the entrance of the den.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"We need a way out of here before the poison spread and they die." He replied before ducking out running off.

"Hey, no! Stay awake!" I pat Ethan's cheek repeatedly to get him to open his eyes. He blinked a few times, weakly, but his eyelids drooped again so I slapped him. "You can't sleep."

"Aw, did you have to hit me so hard? I'm already dying."

~

Dragging the twins into the loft, Derek and I sat them down onto the couch while the older Argent was closing the loft door. Derek went to the Hunter and handed him a shotgun shell he had found, trying to find out who it belonged to, and I rushed to the kitchen to get water for the Betas.

Grabbing some rags, I dropped them into the bowl and went to the twins as Argent raised his voice. He was on the phone now, talking to Allison from how it sounded and telling her to wait. Setting the bowl down onto the coffee table, I ripped open Aiden's shirt and wadded up the fabric and shoved it into the Beta's mouth.

"This is going to hurt." I stated, growing out my claws. Without giving the Beta a chance to fight back, I dug my claws into one of his open wounds to dig out the bullet. Aiden screamed, biting down on the wadded up shirt in his mouth as his eyes went wide.

The bullets clinked each time they hit the hard floor, my hands getting bloodier the more I pulled out.

"Derek! Please tell me you know how to get the poison out!" I quickly spoke, moving on to Ethan. "Derek!" Looking over my shoulder, I saw the man rushing over with a box. He flipped it open and set to work on Aiden while I pulled bullets out of the other twin. Argent had left, rushing out with the scent of unease coming off of him.

I flinched from the sudden spark of fire, but apparently the antidote had to do with burning something and shoving it into the bullet wounds that refused to heal. Ethan and Aiden were both screaming and grunting from pain, but the pain was necessary to keep them from dying.

~

"You should be fine in a couple of hours." Derek flicked the lighter closed and the metal cap clacked from hitting the metal case. "Unless whoever shot you manages to find you again."

"Lydia's with Scott." Aiden stated while walking towards the front door. "We need to go."

"You gonna try and convince her to go with you?"

"I'm gonna try and convince her to go run and hide. Like any _sane_ person would do." Aiden turned to look at the older wolf while Ethan got up to stand by his brother.

"And Danny?"

"Allison's _dead_ and Stiles is dying, what do you think?"

"I think Danny won't believe you. And _Lydia_ would never run and hide."

"Because of Stiles?"

"Because of Scott. You've been trying to find a way into his pack, trying to earn his trust, trying to fight for him. You've had it wrong the whole time. You don't fight _for_ a leader. You fight for a leader's _cause_."

"What cause?"

"Scott's always been about one thing. Saving his friends. He will do anything and everything to save the people he cares about. When he has no chance of winning? He keeps fighting. When all hope is lost? He *finds* another way. When he's beaten down, he stands up again. You want to earn a place in his pack? You want redemption? Find another way to stand and _fight_." Derek told them and they went quiet.

I think that was the most straight forward praise Derek had ever spoken about Scott. He may not be an alpha himself anymore....but he certainly had some qualities of one while trying to rally others to Scott's cause.

~

"Did you bring us a present?" The Nogitsune questioned, casually sitting on the stairs with two oni standing behind him. Derek set down the triskele box as Ethan and Aiden stepped into view.

"I brought two."

"I've heard of an Alpha pack before, Derek, but not a pack of former Alphas. It's a little sad, isn't it?"

"I may not be an Alpha anymore. But I can still fight like one." The older wolf roared, keeping his attention on the Nogitsune as I crept up from behind the oni in the bushes. The werewolves advanced and I jumped down from where I was, aiming for the Nogitsune with bared teeth and claws.

The Stiles look-alike quickly spun around with a shocked expression, but just as my claws were an inch from his face, one of the oni crashed into my side, knocking me out of the way.

Landing, my claws dug into the concrete as I stopped my momentum and growled loud and low.

"I'll have to give it to you, Dakota. Wasn't exactly expecting a sneak attack- you're usually way too straight forward for that." The Nogitsune grinned, his face looking just as sickly as Stiles's. "But, then again, you're just full of surprises, aren't you?" The Nogitsune was still smiling as he tilted his head and the oni attacked.

Each twin began to fight one of the oni and I ran at the Nogitsune now that his guards were preoccupied. His smile didn't falter in the slightest and the reason why became clear as more of the shadow beings materialized, now keeping both Derek and I away from their new master.

"Where the Hell are they?!"

"Jeep's here, they have to be _somewhere_!"

"In the school! We have to get them the box! Someone get them the box!" Derek yelled.

"I hate ninjas." Aiden growled. A katana sliced through my shoulder and I roared before turning and sinking my teeth into an oni, but what was once solid between my jaws became smoke. Snarling, I raked my claws across the oni's mask but yet again it only turned to smoke and reformed without a scratch on it.

"We can't defeat them!"

"Take the box! We'll hold them off!" An arrow suddenly pierced one of the oni and a soft light came from the wound just before it turned into a black cloud and vanished.

"What was that?"

"Silver." Argent replied.

"Isaac! The box! Get the triskele box to Scott!" Derek shouted and the Beta ran for the box, picking it up before darting into the school. Two more oni exploded from the arrows Argent had, but the fourth cut the one that came at him in half.

"Get the arrow, it's the last one!" Aiden dove for it, dodging a katana and sliding across the ground to get the arrowhead. He spun, getting back up and burying it into the last oni's chest. All seemed well until the oni vanished and Aiden collapsed with a katana sticking straight out of his torso.

"Aiden!" Ethan screamed, running to his brother's side. Blood was staining Aiden's shirt as he coughed up blood, and Ethan was crying as he held his twin.

"....Does it hurt you as much as it hurts me?"

"Oh, yeah. Yeah." Ethan answered and Aiden's eyes watered.

"Lydia's never going to believe us that we're good guys anyways."

"She'll believe me." Derek said softly and Aiden coughed up more blood. Ethan placed his forehead to his brother's, tears streaming down his face while still holding onto Aiden even as his body went limp. The wolf wailed in sorrow, his voice echoing across the schoolyard.

~

"Hey. Whatchu doin'?" I glanced to the doorway and Stiles paused taking the papers off of his wall long enough to face his father leaning on the doorframe.

"Um. Just, uh, clearing my head." Stiles replied, pulling some more articles off the wall.

"And...." The sheriff glanced to me, seeing me sitting on the edge of the table while drinking from a Capri Sun.

"Oh, that's Dakota."

"Dakota." He nodded.

"The feral Fenris."

"Ah." He looked me up and down and I didn't say a word. "And she's here why?" Stiles chuckled, pulled out push pins from the wall and letting the papers fall to the floor.

"Guard duty, I guess you could say."

"That's actually....oddly comforting to hear. Well, it's nice to meet you." The sheriff nodded with a smile to me.

"We've met before. Twice." There was a brief look of confusion on his face. "I kind of saved your life from the Durak, and it was also me that found Stiles when he went missing." He paused before slowly nodding.

"Right. So you're....got it." He shifted on his feet and Stiles softly laughed.

"Yeah. That was her."

"....Thank you. For everything." The man said with sincerity.


	25. Down in Mexico

I was pacing back and forth, restless and on edge as I wore down a path in the sand. It was hot even as night fell, but the sweat on my brow was only a minor inconvenience compared to what I was dealing with.

While I had been with Stiles, Hunters had raided the loft and Derek was missing. We were in Mexico, trying to get Derek back from the Hunters here as it were their bullets littering the loft. The rest of the pack were inside the building where loud music was coming from, and I was to wait outside in case they needed a way out.

Yet again, I was left waiting as backup. Only when the Alpha called was I to make a move- which I understood because the loud music was from a party filled with humans that _weren't_ Hunters and a Fenris stuck out in a way werewolves and the others didn't.

Hours ticked by, but still no call came nor did they come out of the building. What the Hell was taking so long?

It had already been weeks since Derek had gone missing and this was our only lead- the waiting and inability to take action was wearing my nerves thin. I couldn't track him, the smoke and scents from the guns and blood in the loft made me unable to pick up a trail. Even now I couldn't scent the Beta if he was here, but with weeks having passed by now I wouldn't be able to from out here.

The night drug on and my shoes were covered in sand and dust from the pacing and it wasn't until morning came that I decided to disobey the Alpha's orders.

Rounding the building, I scouted the Hunters at every entrance, seeing that they were armed to the teeth. Going around the front, I spotted Lydia having tea with an older woman. The redhead spotted me and gave the briefest shake of her head, signaling me to stay back. The woman caught the action and turned, but I slid behind a parked car before she saw me.

What the fuck had happened?! Why was Lydia telling me to stay back? A minute passed and I heard her shriek and my body moved before I could comprehend it, stepping out into the street.

Again, the redhead shook her head even though now a hunter lay dead only a few feet away. The old woman took the signal as Lydia's reaction to the dead man rather than to me.

Was Lydia telling me to wait because she had a plan? Why hadn't Scott called for me yet?

~

As soon as a howl came from the building I ran right for it, not bothering to pay any mind to the Hunters patrolling. I crashed through a window, shifting as I did so and landed on a table as glass rained down to the floor. Lydia screamed, and Scott spun around to see me as I bared my fangs at the old woman in the room.

I eyed the Hunter holding Kira, growling a warning as I stood up and flexed my claws. The human male had wide eyes as shock and fear rolled off of him in waves where as the woman had such steely resolve.

Roaring, I was ready to attack, but Scott quickly stood in the way with his hands raised.

"Dakota, no!" He saw the confusion on my face and he took a cautious step forward. "They don't have Derek."

"I was wondering where your Fenris friend was." The woman smiled.

~

"So you're just letting us go?"

"I sent four men out to where Kate was rumored to have been seen. None of them came back. Let's see if you can do better." The woman looked from Scott to me as we stepped outside.

"You could have just told me she was alive."

"You wouldn't have believed me. Now I know what kind of Alpha you are." She smiled. "*And* where your next step lies."

"What next step?"

"When you take the bite of an innocent. When you make a wolf of your own. When you do that....then _I_ will cross _your_ border and come knocking at _your_ door." She threatened and I gave a warning growl.

"Leave it." Scott said to me and the woman walked away while eyeing me. "Come on." The Alpha gestured and we went to the Jeep where the others were.

"What now?" Stiles questioned. "She thinks she knows where we can find Derek."

"She gonna tell us where?" Malia asked.

"Actually, she's giving us a guide." Scott replied and a motorcycle rolled up. The rider took off her helmet and Scott's expression changed.

"You know her?"

"Braeden."

"Who's Braeden?"

"She's a mercenary."

"Right now I'm the one who's going to take you to La Iglesia."

"The Church?" Lydia furrowed her brows.

"What's The Church?"

"It's not a place you'll find God." The woman stated.

~

"Okay, I'll ask." Malie leaned forward to look at Stiles and Scott. "Who's Kate Argent?"

"Uh, I'd like to know, too." Kira raised her hand.

"Well, we were at her funeral, so I'd like to know how she got out of her casket buried six feet underground."

"She was never in it." Scott answered.

"She was Allison's aunt." Lydia spoke up. "And a total sociopath."

"....You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Kira glanced to Scott and Malia made a face.

"Um, yes he does."

"Yeah, she's right. You guys should know. You need to know."

"Okay, so Kate was the one who set the fire that killed most of Derek's family." Stiles began.

"Some of them survived, like Cora and Peter."

"A very angry Peter." Lydia popped off.

"Yeah, he's the one who bit and turned me."

"And the one who finally caught up to Kate....and killed her."

"Yeah, and we saw her buried."

"No, we just saw a casket, remember? She wasn't in it. The Calaveras heard she had been killed by an Alpha's claws, they wanted to make sure she was dead. The body was healing, more and more the closer she got to a full moon. She was coming back. So they switched out the bodies. They took her. If a Hunter's bit, they have to take their own life before they change. The Calaveras, they treat the code like law. They make it their responsibility to enforce it. She didn't do it."

"....Good for her? I wouldn't do it either."

"Would you kill half a dozen people to get out? Because that's what she did."

"So Kate's a werewolf now?"

"I don't know." Scott shook his head. "There's a saying.... _'Sometimes the shape you take reflects the type of person you are.'_ "

"What kind of shape is 'sociopathic bitch'?" Lydia asked just before there was a loud bang and the Jeep came to a bumpy halt on the side of the road.

"What happened?!" Braeden shouted as we were scrambling out of the vehicle. I bent over, placing my hands onto my knees to let the feeling of nausea pass.

"I don't know, it sounded like we hit something." Stiles replied.

"Scott, we need to get there by night. It's too dangerous otherwise."

"Go."

"Not without you."

"Dude, someone needs to find Derek. We'll think of something. We always do. Just go." Stiles told his best friend and I looked up.

"I'm going, too."

"Then who's going to-"

"Kitsune. Werecoyote." I pointed to the two girls. "She has a katana and innate sword fighting skills, and she....she was feral. Survival is in her blood." Looking at Malia, I nodded to her. "She knows shit none of y'all do, they'll be fine without me."

"Dakota, why do I think you're biased?" Stiles made a face and I ruffled his hair.

"Because I am. Beast knows beast."

"I'm not a beast." Malia scoffed and I quirked up my brow.

"Malia, I mean it as a good thing."

"Oh. Right."

"It's going to be dark soon!" Braeden called out before putting her helmet on.

"You two, keep those two alive." I pointed at Kira and Malia before pointing to Stiles and Lydia. Turning away from them while Scott was climbing onto the back of Braeden's bike, I bolted down the dirt road and the motorcycle revved while catching up.

~

Panting as I came to a stop, Scott got off the bike while the mercenary slid off her helmet.

"La Iglesia." She sighed, looking to the town in ruins around the large church in the center of it all.

"What happened?"

"An earthquake. It leveled the town."

"Why is the church still standing?"

"The locals think it's because of what's underneath."

"Do I want to know?"

"It's believed the church was built over an Aztec temple. It belonged to a people called the Nagual."

"Shape-shifters?"

"Werejaguars."

"So Derek and Kate are somewhere in there?"

"I don't know. Never gotten this far before." Braeden stated and Scott glanced to me.

"Wind's in the wrong direction. I can't smell anything but sand."

"Guess we're going to have to go in blind then." The woman sighed.

~

"If you find Kate in here, what are you going to do with her?" Scott questioned as we were walking through the town to the church.

"Bring her back to the Calaveras." Braeden replied.

"Kill her." I growled.

"Hold it, I was _paid_ to do this."

"And she invaded my home and took Derek."

"Aw, got a little crush on him, do ya?" Braeden teased and I looked her dead in the eye.

"No, you stupid human, I love him." Her expression faltered and Scott stopped walking as he slowly looked at me.

"What?!" The teen made a face and I looked at him like he was stupid.

"My scent is always on him, why are you surprised?"

"You two literally wrestle, like, all the time- Wait, are you two _together_?!"

"How is this not common knowledge? Neither of us hide it."

"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that you both physically or verbally fight every time I see you. I just assumed that's why your scent was on him, and you always wear his clothes so I figured-"

"Wait, she wears his clothes? And you still didn't think they were together?" Braeden scoffed. "How dense are you, Scott?"

"Dakota was living in the wild, she doesn't _own_ any clothes."

"We fight because he tries to dominate me. I don't even submit to you and you're the Alpha."

"Oh, that's what you meant. Hoo, when you said 'dominate' that was _not_ where my mind went." Braeden popped off and I looked at her with confusion.

"Don't ask." Scott told me and my brows knit together.

"To dominate is to have another submit or have control over another. That's what the tablet said. There's another meaning?"

"Tablet?"

"Stiles gave Dakota a learning tablet to teach her English."

"....I have so many questions, but I'm not going ask." She waved her hand.

"Wait, so how long have you and Derek...." Scott trailed off and I tried to do the mental math but failed.

"Months." I replied since I couldn't give an exact answer.

"Months?!"

"Remember how we found Cora?"

"Yeah?"

"Shortly after that."

"That long? How did none of us notice?"

"Apparently, from what you say, the signs weren't as obvious as I thought due to other factors."

"All right, wrap up the conversation, the church is around the corner." Braeden raised her shotgun and walked forward. She kicked debris out of the way and entered the large church as we followed behind her. "Either of you catch Derek's scent?"

"Already on it." Scott replied before stopping the woman.

"What?"

"There's something else in here."

"Something like what?"

"Just something not human."

"Don't look at me, I've ever smelled this before." I popped off before walking past broken pews and piles of rubble. "Either way, I do smell Derek." Going around bricks, I glanced back to the wolf and human. "This way." And I took lead while Scott held up a flashlight.

"So how come you didn't kiss her?"

"What?"

"How come you didn't kiss your girlfriend?"

"You mean Kira?"

"Whatever her name is."

"She's not really....I mean we've never actually....she's not my girlfriend." Scott said and I scoffed. "What?"

"You two give off so many pheromones for each other and you're _not_ together?"

"We don't-"

"You do." Turning a corner, I waved my hand. "If you can't even smell _that_ then I'm not surprised you couldn't tell Derek and I have been having sex."

"Wait, you're also-" Scott cut himself off as his face held such bewilderment.

"What are we, nuns?"

"Wow, this is one of _the_ wildest conversations I've ever heard." Braeden shook her head. There was a noise and we all went silent. Going deeper into the church, we found skeletons and cobwebs, roots growing out from the ceiling and walls, and even scorpions skittering around. I focused my hearing while following Derek's scent, listening for whatever inhuman beast was here besides Scott and I.

"What?" Braeden whispered after Scott turned on his heel.

"....I just had a feeling that something was behind us."

"Because something is." I mumbled. "Keep going. Don't attack unless it gets too close."

"What exactly is your definition of 'too close'?" The woman asked.

"Look, don't waste energy chasing something that may or may not be an enemy. Wait until it's intentions are clear."

"Is this more of your 'knowledge' from the wild?"

"Actually, yes. It is." I stated and quiet fell as we kept walking. There came a low growl and Braeden spun around.

"Do you hear that?"

"Is this why you don't get very far?" I could hear running footsteps as the thing that had been following us finally decided to close in. Braeden began to fire at the large mass barreling towards us but if a shot landed it didn't seem like it with how fast it moved.

"Do you see it?! Where is it?!"

"I don't know, I can't see anything!"

"What is this thing?!" The human yelled and I switched to my silver eyes to see in the dark.

"It's coming back, it's coming back!" Scott took a protective stance in front of the woman and I could see what it was that was chasing us. Of course, I didn't know what the fuck it was, it was covered in bones from various animals like armor and as it got closer it's putrid scent got stronger.

"Scott, get behind me!" Braeden ordered, but the boy didn't listen to her and roared an Alpha's roar that was so loud it sent dust and rocks falling from the walls and ceiling. it echoed through the halls and the beast turned tail.

"....I think I scared it."

"I think you scared _everything_." The human gave the Alpha a look. There was a crumbling sound from behind us and we turned to look.

"What is that?" Scott asked and we entered a room with a wall covered in golden markings.

"Tezcalipoca. The Nagual jaguar god. I think we found Derek."

"We did." I said before bringing back my arm and punching right through the wall. Derek's scent was strong here, and I could hear a slow heartbeat from the other side. Breaking down more of the wall, I paused as soon as I saw the person on the other side.

"What? What is it?" Braeden leaned over my shoulder, shining her flashlight into the gaping hole in the wall.

"Oh, my God." Scott said hardly over a whisper.

~

Exiting the church, the Jeep pulled and headlights lit up the nearby area.

"Is that him? Is that Derek?" Malia questioned as the male hung from Scott's shoulder and my own.

"Uh....sort of." Stiles shifted on his feet as he looked perplexed.

"What do you mean ' _sort of_ '?!" I growled, looking at the boy that was unable to walk on his own. "Look at his face! He's a fucking teenager!"


	26. Berserker Battle

Rushing through the rain, we carried the teenager into Dr. Deaton's clinic, taking him into the back and laying him down onto the metal table.

"....Wow." Dr. Deaton looked surprised and that didn't bode well.

"Wow? Wow as in, I've seen this before and I know exactly what to do?" Stiles nervously asked. "That kind of wow? 'Cause, that's the kind of wow we were hoping for."

"I think you may be overestimating my abilities."

"So this is actually Derek? He smells just like him, but...." I trailed off, looking to the boy's face while poking his soft cheeks. " _Really_ doesn't look like him. And he's really cold."

"This is what Derek looked like when he was in high school." Dr. Deaton explained, checking the boy's pulse.

"Is this going to be permanent?" Scott asked.

"It better fucking not be."

"I'm not sure a medical diagnoses is even adequate." The doctor furrowed his brows, looking at the boy's eye's with a small flashlight. "This is well beyond my experience."

"So what do we do with him?"

"When he wakes up....probably not much. Might be best to leave him with me. He'll be safe here."

"You mean from Kate." Stiles waved his hand.

"If she's alive and she is what you say she is, she won't even be able to walk past that gate."

"Are you sure about that? I mean, Dakota can."

"Dakota is a different story entirely."

"Why would she want to do this to him?"

"Knowing Kate, it won't be a reason that's good for anyone but her."

"And bad for everyone else."

"Hey, you guys should probably go home. He doesn't look to be in any danger, so maybe the rest of you should get some sleep. It _is_ a school night. You all need to start taking care of your own lives again."

"Someone should stay with you." Scott looked to his boss and Dr. Deaton glanced at me.

"It's a good thing you don't go to school, isn't it, Dakota?"

"Yeah. You all go get some rest."

"Text us if anything happens."

~

"How's he doing?"

"His heart rate is alarmingly high." Dr. Deaton replied and I stood up from the chair I sat in. Gently grabbing the teenager's hand, I glanced from him to the doctor.

"He's not in pain. He's warmer now, too."

"I'm going to try something. I want you to keep holding his hand." I nodded and he picked up a scalpel. He cut down Derek's arm and the wound healed just as fast as it was made.

"....Werewolves don't heal that fast. How...."

"I'm not sure. Let's try something else. Grab me a 5mm syringe, top drawer." Dr. Deaton pointed and I rounded the table to the drawers. Deaton went to the small table with vials on it and I dug through syringes until I found the one labeled as 5mm. My ear twitched and I turned to see the boy standing up from the table. He seemed disorientated and his claws were out.

"Derek?" He looked up, his eyes glowing blue as his teeth were sharpening.

"Derek?" Dr. Deaton turned, but he looked at us as if he didn't know us at all. "Derek, can you hear me? Can you say something? Derek?" The boy swung his claws at the doctor since he was closer, but I moved faster and caught his wrist before he could injure Dr. Deaton.

"Derek!" I rose my voice, but he only struggled and swung his other hand at me. Catching his other wrist, I bared my teeth as a warning. "Derek!" He flinched back, ripping his hands from my grasp as he stumbled back. He was growling, acting like he was so totally and utterly lost before he turned on his heel and bolted out the door.

"Dakota, wait!"

"What?! He's running off!"

"He may not recognize you."

"What?"

"He's a teenager again, Dakota. He may be a teenager mentally as well."

"....He didn't know me back then."

"You need to go about this cautiously."

"Okay, but if he's a teenager and scared out of his mind, he can't be left alone out there."

"Look, I'll call Scott. You can follow Derek, but as I said, you _need_ to be careful. An adult Fenris chasing down a young wolf- that could terrify him even more."

"But he doesn't even-"

"He can sense it, Dakota. He may not know what you are, but he can tell you're dangerous. It's basic animal instinct."

~

I felt twitchy and uneasy as I entered the police building, but this was where Derek's scent lead after leaving the destroyed remains of the Hale house in the woods. No one paid me any mind as I walked past desks and heard ringing phones.

Smelling the air, I went through an opened door and spotted the sheriff just as he saw me as well.

"Dakota!" He looked relieved to see me and pointed towards an office. Through the windows I saw Derek sitting in front of a desk, looking around the room. Sighing, I went to the office, following the sheriff into the room. "I need you to be honest with me. Absolutely and completely honest."

"What?"

"Have you been time-traveling?"

"....What?"

"Because if time-traveling is real, you know what, I-I'm done! I'm out!" He whisper-yelled to me and Derek turned to look at us before scrambling out of the chair with wide eyes.

"You!" He pointed.

"Yeah, me." Turning back to Stiles's dad, I waved my hand. "Look, just have Stiles explain this to you because I'm not even sure what's going on here." He rolled his eyes while waving his hand and left the office. "Derek, you need to come with me."

"Why would I go anywhere with you?"

"Because, despite what your instincts are telling you, I'm the safest person you can be with right now. You're experiencing some memory loss, but come with me and we can find a way to get it back."

"And why should I trust you?"

"Because we know each other- even though you can't remember."

"Who are you?"

"My name's Dakota. Look, you just need to listen to me, okay? I can help you, but only if you come with me and don't wolf out like you almost did on those two cops."

"I'm fine as long as it's not on a full moon."

"You still have trouble with the full moon?"

"I said I'm fine."

"Will you come with me or not?"

"You want me to trust you? Where's my family?" I took a slow breath in before answering him.

"There was a fire, Derek. You saw your house. They aren't here anymore." His face went serious and I waved my hand. "Once we get your memories back, I can contact Peter if that'll make you feel better."

"They're okay?"

"Yes, they're okay." Derek visibly relaxed. "Now, what's your decision?"

"....I'll go. But you have to prove to me that you know me."

"I know you well enough to know why your eyes are blue."

~

"Okay, so this is the Alpha's house-"

"You mean you're not an Alpha?"

"No, I'm not. Now, like I was saying, this is the Alpha's house. Don't break anything, don't get too close to the walls either, the baseboards are made from mountain ash. Don't call, text, or talk to anybody-"

"Can I talk to you?"

"That's what you're doing right now."

"Can I talk to him?" Derek pointed and I paused while looking to the tall man standing in the kitchen while holding a paper bag.

"Who the Hell are you?"

"I'm a friend of Scott's." I stated and the man raised his brows while looking me up and down.

"You?"

"He, uh, didn't tell you?" I put my hands on my hips while shifting on my feet. "He joined a wildlife survival class, I'm his mentor. We're supposed to be having the meeting here."

"Wildlife survival class?"

"With all the accidents in the woods and the cougar attacks, he, uh, wanted to be prepared, you know?"

"Uh-huh. And the meeting is _here_?"

"I have permission from his mother, you can call her to check if you feel like you must. My name's Dakota."

"We were supposed to have dinner." He sighed, seeming to have bought the lie and thankfully Derek said nothing while raising a brow at me. "I got extra if you're hungry."

"No."

"Yeah. I'm starving."

"Fantastic. Eggroll?"

"Hell yeah." Derek grinned, walking over to the table as I clenched my jaw. Oh, the Alpha was not going to be too pleased with this.

"Chicken fried rice or pork fried rice?"

"Chicken fried rice."

~

"So, uh, Miguel. What did you say your last name was again?" The man asked across the table and I shot Derek a look as he was shoving some noodles into his mouth. I had to think fast, I couldn't let this human know the teenager in front of him was Derek Hale.

"Lycaon." I blurted.

"Lycaon? My, that's unusual."

"Yes, uh, old name."

"Mr. McCall, you're an FBI agent, right?"

"I am."

"So do you investigate murders?"

"Sometimes. Well, it's a federal crime."

"What about fires?" _'Ah, fuck.'_ I took a drink from my glass of water.

"You know, I wonder where Scott is. He should be here by now. Maybe you should call him and see where he's at."

"What kind of fire are you talking about?"

"Do you know anything about the Hale family?"

"Yeah, you should really call Scott, Mr. McCall."

"Why do you ask about the Hale family?"

"Just curious." Derek shrugged.

~

"You lied to me!" The boy rose his voice while pointing at me.

"I actually didn't-"

"I don't want to talk to you. I want to talk to the Alpha. I want to talk to Scott!"

"Look, Derek-"

"I said I don't want to talk to you!" He flashed his fangs at me and I heard his heartbeat quicken. Yeah, this was definitely Derek- had the same grouchy look.

"Too bad! Now, you listen to me, pup, I may not be an Alpha but I sure as Hell ain't no Omega you can boss around. I've saved your ass too many damn times even if you can't remember it." I waved my hand by my head while taking a step forward. "You think I lied to you? I told you from the very beginning they were gone."

"But you said you'd call-"

"Peter. I said I'd call _Peter_. Who, as irritating as it is sometimes, is still very much alive- that _isn't_ a lie."

"You made me think-"

"I didn't make you anything, so you better put those fangs away before I show you what fangs really are."

"Screw you!" He growled at me with his teeth bared and the challenge alone was enough to set me off. Flashing my fangs and eyes, I roared- but I was quickly reminded that Derek wasn't the Derek I was used to as the scent of fear nearly made me choke as the boy scrambled back and tripped over the corner of Scott's bed. From the floor he looked up at me like a terrified rabbit and I instantly regretted what I had done.

"Derek, I'm-" I took a step forward but he scurried back until he hit a wall.

"You're not a werewolf!"

"I'm sorry. Please, let me expl-" I lifted my hand and he reflexively raised his arms over his head in defense as if I was going to attack him. Taking a deep breath, I took a step back and crouched low by the bed. "Derek." I spoke softly. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm sorry if I frighten you now- I'm just....I'm just so used to you butting heads with me that I forgot you actually don't remember how I can be." Chuckling, it came out a bit sad sounding and I ran a hand through my hair.

"What....what _are_ you?"

"I'm a Fenris. Think of it as the older cousin to the werewolf." Still keeping a soft tone, Derek slowly lowered his arms. "Listen to my heart, can you do that?" He didn't answer, but at least he looked at me. "I trust you with my life, and before....you trusted me with yours. If you want to talk to the Alpha instead of me, I understand. I'll go call him right now." I pointed towards the door. "Is that what you want me to do?" Derek slowly nodded and I sighed through my nose. "Then I'll do it. But I need you to stay in here, okay? You can't run off again."

He only nodded again and it hurt to see him so scared of me. Opening the bedroom door, I went down the hall to find the landline.

Picking up the phone, I paused while trying to remember how to do this.

"What was Scott's number again?" I mumbled, but tapped the buttons once I remembered and brought the phone to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Scott, it's me, Dakota."

"Dakota? What are you....why are you at my house?"

"Well, you see, I'm here because you're the Alpha and well, your house has anti-Kate measures and-"

"Derek."

"Yeah, Derek. Look, you should really get here as soon as possible, he wants to talk to you and I kind of accidentally terrified him."

"You....terrified _Derek_?"

"He's a teenager not even in full control of his abilities- you try being in that situation with a full grown Fenris roaring at you while pissed off."

"Oh, Dakota, you didn't." Scott groaned.

"In my defense, he's just too fuckin' similar to the Derek I know that it sort of slipped my mind that he wasn't. So, could you hurry? I've got him in your room and I think-" I cut myself off as a strange scent hit my nose.

"Dakota?" I dropped the phone and ran to Scott's room, sliding to a halt in the doorway just as a dirty-blonde was sitting on the window sill. She saw me and smirked before jumping down to the ground below. I heard Scott yelling my name from the phone down the hall, but I didn't have time to deal with it and ran downstairs and out the front door.

The wind had picked up so it'd be hard to track them, but not impossible since the trail would still be fresh.

~

Storming across the schoolyard, I hadn't a clue why Kate would bring Derek here, but it didn't matter so long as I got to them before anything bad happened. Nearing the front of the school, I froze as I heard a loud roar.

Scott? What the Hell was Scott doing here?

He roared again and I knew he was in danger. _'Shit!'_ I snarled, now left with a dilemma. The Alpha who was in danger now, or Derek who was with Kate and doing who know's what.

"Fucking bullshit." I growled, kicking off my shoes. "Can we not go a week- _a week_ \- without something happening? Without *someone* in mortal fucking danger?" Grumbling, I unbuckled the belt I wore and unzipped my jeans. Pushing them off my legs, I kicked my leg to get them off my ankle. "Complete and utter bullshit with this fucking town." Taking off my shirt, I began to shift forms and turned- pausing as I saw Derek staring with wide eyes at me.

Glancing around, I didn't see Kate anywhere and I narrowed my eyes.

"I'll deal with you later." Pointing at the teenager, I huffed through my nose before bolting in the direction Scott's roar had come from.

Scaling the rails on the stairs, I went straight up to the second floor and pounced on the giant in animal bone armor. It growled and thrashed its arms, grabbing at me as I dug my claws into flesh.

Blood hit the ground and a hand grabbed me by the scruff, yanking me off the creature's back and onto the hard concrete.

Two. There were two of them. Great.

Shaking out my fur as I got up, I snapped my jaws at them and they swung blades at me. Kira came flying in, swinging her katana and striking the beasts, but the sword did no damage and she didn't seem to notice.

"Kira!" Scott yelled just before the girl was thrown back from getting punched. This was it. This was the time, if any, that connecting to the Primal would save our asses- but no, I still had that fucking lock and Dr. Deaton had yet to finish the key.

Standing between the teenagers and the hulking creatures that were more than a foot taller than me, I held my head high and my tail in attack position. The Alpha and Malia were down with heavy injuries, Kira was barely conscious, Derek was a damn teenager, and anyone else in the pack were too human to help.

Roaring, I ran for the beasts, each step bringing me closer to what was undoubtedly going to be a painful experience. Blood splattered the lockers along the wall from a bone knife cutting through my shoulder, and I grabbed the one stabbing me by the wrist and buried my teeth into its arm.

It yelled in pain and I violently shook my head, ripping its arm right off. Blood flooded my mouth, coating my tongue in a sour and metallic taste. Throwing the arm to the side, I licked my teeth while baring my fangs, pulling the knife from my shoulder only to throw it as well. I could feel the wound starting to heal already and I lunged for the one with two arms still.

A fist came down heavily on my jaw, knocking a tooth loose. Spitting it and blood out, I drove my claws into the creature just as the one armed one shoved a bone gauntlet knife into my back. Howling in pain, I swung my elbow back, barely missing the skull helmet and hitting the beast behind me.

Its jaw audibly snapped and hung limply from being broken, but I had to turn my attention back to the other one as another knife found it's way into my gut.

Grabbing the creature by the head, I yanked it down and drove my knee right up into its chest. I heard fighting behind me, and I became aware the other beast was being fought off by....Derek.

Could he even handle that thing?! How strong was he as a teenager? How well could he fight back then? Was he going to get his ass kicked? Was he going to get killed?

"Dakota!" His voice brought my attention back to the fight as he warned me of the next strike coming my way. My back crashed into the lockers from the beast I was fighting shoving me back and off of the ground.

Kicking out, my hind claws created deep marks in the bone armor, but didn't break through. Biting down on one hand that held me up, I twisted my head, feeling bones snap between my jaws. The hand came off in my mouth and it dropped me.

The one with the one arm suddenly came crashing into the one missing a hand and a loud roar ripped through the air as the beasts turned and ran, leaving a trail of blood behind them.

Looking the opposite way they ran, I felt relief as I saw Derek- not him as a teenager, but him as an adult. However....his eyes....they were wrong. They were....yellow.

"Derek?" I questioned, taking a step forward only to face-plant onto the ground.


	27. Grin

"The table's _Italian_." Peter stated.

"So are these boots." Braeden replied, having her feet up on the coffee table. "Are we going to talk interior design and fashion, or are we going to talk numbers?" The older wolf sighed and scribbled something down on a piece of paper before sliding it over to the woman.

She looked down at it and grabbed the pen, marking out what he wrote and gave a number of her own.

"We're hiring you to find Kate, not to assassinate the president."

"I was hired by the Calaveras to find Kate. You're hiring me to find her first. Going against the Calaveras is what's going to cost you." She explained and Peter wrote another number to try and haggle but Braeden wouldn't even look. Peter stood up and walked away, making a sound of displeasure.

"We'll pay." Derek said after ripping the paper. "Just find Kate. That's all we want."

"All right, then." She raised her eyebrows and stood. "But I don't do payment plans."

"You won't have to."

"Good." She smirked, walking towards the loft door. Her gaze drifted to me as she went past and she grinned while gesturing to Derek with her head. "Bet you're glad to have your man back as, well, a man."

"I am."

"Oh, love the honesty." She waved her finger at me before leaving and Peter closed the door behind her.

"Are you insane?!" He turned to his nephew.

"We don't have a choice. We spent a week looking for her and came up with nothing." Derek got up and walked towards the table covered in old books.

"If we don't find out about who told Kate about the vault, we don't get those bonds back. What do you think I'm gonna do then, huh? Get a _job_? My resume is _slightly_ out of date."

"Oh, boo-hoo, Peter. Get a job in fast food. Stiles says they hire anyone."

"Shut up, I don't want to hear anything from you-" He paused while looking at me, and his expression changed, morphing through various emotions as he slowly pointed to the door. Peter glanced from me to Derek then back to me. "She said 'bet you're glad to have your man back as a man'." Peter shifted on his feet. "And you said you...."

"....Wow, you're slow." I furrowed my brows.

"You two are together?!" Peter made a face and I rolled my eyes. "Oh, nephew, I'm not sure whether to be concerned or impressed."

"Shut up." Derek popped off.

"She's basically an animal, Derek. An animal that wears pants." Peter looked at me while I was still sitting on the counter. "Most of the time."

"I said, shut up."

"I-I mean, I can see the allure, I really do- Well, I guess once you get past the feral behavior, it's quite-"

"Peter. Don't make me hurt you."

"Look, wild child, I just found out my _nephew_ and _you_ are a _thing_ , so excuse me if I'm in shock." Peter put a hand over his heart before his expression changed to one of rage and it seemed he remembered what he was ranting about before. "Wait, we were robbed, Derek! Does that not concern you in the slightest?!"

"Here we go again." I sighed.

"I don't need the side commentary." Peter snapped at me. "Are you even listening to me? I said, we were _robbed_!" He grabbed Derek's shoulder and the younger wolf reacted so quickly, grabbing his uncle's wrist and roaring with bared fangs. "....Oh, that's a new look for you." He stated, seeing how Derek's eyes were now yellow. "What happened to your eyes?"

"I don't know. But I'm willing to pay to find out. Whatever happened to me- Kate did it."

~

"There's nothing in here about Kate. This killer used an axe." Derek stated, flipping through the file Braeden had brought.

"Actually, he used a military tomahawk." She replied, changing her clothes from the disguise she wore to get the files from the sheriff's department.

"That's not in this report."

"I know."

"You gonna tell me what else you know?" He questioned and I looked from him to the half naked woman while sitting on the table between them, cutting pieces from an apple with a knife and popping them into my mouth.

"Not yet....because I don't really know much."

"But you know _something_." I piped up and she looked at me.

"Maybe. The problem is the people I need to talk to right now don't really talk to people like you." She placed her hands into the edge of the table and Derek dropped the file he had beside the books.

"You want me to wait for you?"

"I want you to trust me."

"Why would I trust you? I don't know anything about you." Derek raised his eyebrows and I pointed.

"She was hired to save Isaac. Also paid to escort us to La Iglesia to get you. She also has good hygiene, but that one you can tell from how nice she smells." The two of them paused to look at me. "What?" I said with my cheek stuffed with apple.

"From my understanding, _this_ is an improvement." Braeden mumbled before quirking up an eyebrow at Derek. "You fell for _that_?" The wolf only sighed.

"What? I've got pants on today."

"Dakota, those are boxers."

"Close enough, they cover my ass at least."

"I'm sorry, but....do you _not_ usually wear pants?" Braeden made a face and Derek gave her a look.

"I spent over a decade butt ass naked in the woods, clothes aren't exactly at the top of the list of things I find as a necessity."

"But isn't this where, you know, the 'pack' meets up?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Don't even try, Dakota has no sense of modesty no matter how much we try to get her to understand-"

"Oh, don't even start." I rolled my eyes. "You wolves and you humans are so obsessed with hiding your bodies or only revealing certain parts. I mean, I'd get it if it was cold, but even in the dead of summer you all cover up."

"Wow, you really don't get how the world works, do you?" Braeden chuckled and I paused cutting off another piece from my apple as my expression fell. Slowly looking up at her, her smile faltered as she saw my face and I locked eyes with her.

"Oh, I know all too well how _your_ world works, human. Tragedy, travesty, lies, false promises and freedoms. Humans consume and steal whatever they please, having little to no regard to the lives their actions impact. I've fed on animals that died tangled in trash, I've choked on smoke from cigarettes left smoldering by hiking trails, I've nearly starved from prey being over hunted for sport by your kind and deforestation, and I've seen the horrors first hand of the cold blooded murder you people are capable of. So, excuse me if my manner of _dress_ or _behavior_ is so appalling to you. I'm just trying to _survive_ in 'the world'." Sliding off the table, I walked to the stairs and went to the second floor, still eating my apple.

~

"You want water, juice, or what?"

"Milk." I replied, swallowing the the chunk of steak I had been chewing on. Stabbing some green beans on my plate, I heard Derek open the refrigerator and pull out the milk. It was rather quiet in the loft, but that wasn't an uncommon thing now that it was only the two of us living here.

Shoveling the soft, green vegetables into my mouth, I could hear the wolf pouring our drinks before he came back to the table and set a glass of milk down in front of me. He sat back down across the table and picked up his knife and fork while I grabbed the glass and took a drink.

"Thanks." I sighed, remembering how it was polite to say so after being given something. Derek glanced up from his plate to me and chuckled. "What?"

"Nothing. You just...." He trailed off, pointing to his top lip.

"Oh." Wiping my mouth on my sleeve, I saw his face fall.

"Dakota, that's my shirt."

"Yeah. So?"

"Could you not use it as a napkin?"

"I thought you washed clothes- why does it matter if they get dirty?"

"Because some things stain."

"Oh. And this is bad?"

"It's irritating." He calmly replied and I nodded. "It's long past time we got you your own clothes anyways."

"Pass." Tearing off another chunk of steak, I stabbed the fork into it.

"Excuse me?"

"Pass."

"Why?"

"Don't need 'em." I half-shrugged, biting into the meat.

"You kind of do."

"Mm-mm." Derek raised his brows at me and I swallowed. "Yours are fine."

"Yeah, but they're _mine_."

"I prefer them. They're comfortable. And they smell good."

"Sometimes I don't know what to do about your honesty." He took a drink from his glass and I grinned. "Oh, don't do that when you have food in your mouth." Derek cringed and I laughed while covering my mouth with my hand. "You're so gross."

"You're gross." I popped off and the Beta just gave me a look. Chuckling, I turned my attention back to my plate and silence fell again as we ate. When dinner was over, we carried the dishes to the sink and I put the stopper in the drain. Turning on the faucet, I filled the sink with hot water and poured the soap in, watching as bubbles quickly formed over the water.

"Whoa, not so much." Derek, pushed the end of the soap bottle down, but I ended up dropping it into the sink and suds flew across the counter.

"Sorry." I mumbled and the wolf looked at me with furrowed brows, clearly noticing how I had taken a step back.

"Dakota?" He questioned, cutting off the water and setting the soap back onto the corner of the sink. "What's wrong?"

"It was slippery."

"No, I mean what's wrong with _you_?" Derek crossed his arms while leaning back onto the counter, giving me a serious look. "Don't think I haven't noticed that any time I get too close you back away. Why?" He asked and I chewed the inside of my cheek. "Dakota."

"I...." Sighing, I ran my hand through my hair while putting my other hand onto my hip. "I don't want to scare you."

"What?" He laughed, but it didn't last long when he saw my expression.

"When....when I saw fear in your eyes it really made me realize how terrifying I can be. I don't want to scare you again."

"Dakota, are you talking about when I got turned into a teenager?" I nodded and the wolf sighed. "You can't scare me, Dakota-"

"I did. You didn't even want me near you."

"I didn't remember who you were then and I was a kid, you can't possibly think I'd have the same reaction to you now."

"I don't know, I just...." Sighing, I crossed my arms while shifting on my feet. "I don't want to see you so horrified by me ever again. It-it hurt and I don't know why and I don't like it. I don't like that feeling."

"Yeah, the bitchy thing about feelings is they sometimes cause physical pain."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. Now," Derek grabbed my arms and pulled me towards him. "don't be scared to be close to me. Ever. Understood?" He wrapped me in a hug while resting his chin on my head and I nodded. Closing my eyes, I liked the warmth of the hug and I really liked being close to the wolf. I mean, he felt nice and, even for a werewolf, had a pleasant scent. "You're still doing the dishes."

"You're so mean." I groaned into his chest and he laughed until I growled and bit him.


	28. Heart of the Pack

"The axe was laced with wolfsbane." Derek stated, flicking open his lighter as I dropped the tomahawk I had pulled from Peter's chest onto the table. "I don't know the species, so....we're gonna have to just burn it out." There was a click and the lighter produced a steady flame.

"I think I can handle a little fire." The older wolf panted and Derek smiled while nodding, lighting the blowtorch in his other hand. "Oh, Hell."

"Dakota, hold him down."

"Whoa, there's no need for tha- Oof!" Before he could finish talking, I grabbed his shoulders and pinned him down onto the table. Derek didn't give his uncle time to argue and went at burning the wolfsbane out. Peter's screams echoed in the loft as he struggled, but I kept him down until all the poison was out.

He fell to the ground once I let him go, panting and tense from the pain. Derek held out his hand to help his uncle up, and the older wolf accepted the offered hand.

I snorted, seeing the large scorch mark on Peter's chest.

"You smell like bad barbecue."

"He said he was after you." Peter ignored my remark while looking at Derek.

"How does a guy with no mouth say anything?"

"With this." He picked up a glove with an attached keyboard from the table.

~

"Oh my- what is with you ferals and sneaking into my room?" Stiles made a face looking from me to the water he spilt on his shirt.

"If you don't want us in here, you should try locking your window."

"I _do_ lock my window."

"Lock it better."

"How am I- ....Nevermind." He sighed, setting his cup down onto the edge of his desk before plopping down onto the end of his bed. "All right, what is it this time? Why are you here? Derek piss you off again with the rules?"

"The Primal." I stated and the boy paused.

"The Primal? Is that....is that some kind of game on your tablet?"

"I'm not sure what it is." I replied. "But it's something I'm supposed to be able to....connect to."

"Okay, what?"

"It was explained to me like this.... You know how some Alphas can look different when they shift? Talia into an actual wolf, Peter into that beast, Deucalian into the Demon Wolf?"

"Yeah."

"The Primal is something similar to that, only all Fenris can tap into it. The difference though, is that it's a boost in power rather than an actual physical change. But _I_ can't do this."

"Wait, so you mean to tell me you can get _stronger_?"

"Supposed to, yes." I nodded, resting my elbows onto my knees as I remained seated in the chair. "For a short period of time. Connecting to the Primal is basically letting go of one's inhibitions and becoming more beast than man."

"That-that sounds kind of dangerous, actually."

"It is. Some Fenris in the past became stuck in this state. The ones that couldn't control the wolf inside." I looked at Stiles. "I came to discover my connection to the Primal has been blocked by my childhood emissary."

"Why would they do that?"

"Something about how my parents feared I'd become stuck if I tapped into the Primal before I could control it. It was harmless then, but now, when I need it most.... I and those around me have nearly died too many times."

"Where did you even learn all this?"

"Dr. Deaton."

"Of course."

"He's actually working on a way to allow me to use the Primal like I'm supposed to. But....it's taking forever." I sighed.

"You know, for you being the strongest among us, you seem to think yourself weak."

"I _am_ weak, Stiles. Being the strongest, I have to be able to protect the pack, not get my ass kicked or be completely useless. 'Wait for the signal', 'Wait for this', 'Wait for that', 'You can't do this', 'It's too dangerous for you to do that'." I mocked while waving my hand. "Always _waiting_ , always _listening_ , always being _bossed_ around."

"Wow, you really do have a problem with authority." Growling a low warning, the human raised his hands. "Okay, look, I get how you're feeling, I really do. I mean, I'm _human_. I can't fight back- I mean, look at me. My only means of self-defense are sarcasm and occasionally an aluminum bat which- with the things we encounter- is like going into gunfight with a freakin' hammer." Stiles made a face. "All I literally can do is wait while you guys fight."

"It's different."

"Why? Because I'm human?"

"Yes. And because there's things I'm _supposed_ to be able to do but _can't_ because of something I have no control over."

"Well, you could always try working out." Stiles suggested and I gave him a look. "What? I'm serious. You want to get stronger, start working out. If you're as powerful as you are now, imagine what you could do with, like, big beefy arms." He chuckled while waving his hand at me. "You're what, 130-140 pounds, the size of a suitcase, and can lift a truck? You literally ripped limbs off of berserkers when a _katana_ wielded by a _kitsune_ didn't even leave a scratch. Get off your furry butt and quit mopin' like you don't have anything else to do."

"See, this is why I like you." I pointed. "You're a really smart human."

"Thank you. After acting as both tutor and therapist to many werewolves and beasties as I have, I'd hope to know a few things by now." Stiles half-shrugged while smiling.

"Just so you know....you're more than just a human." I stood up, looking down at the teenager as he still sat on the edge of his bed. "Scott may be the Alpha....but you've always been the heart of the pack." Stiles snorted while smiling and shook his head. "I'm serious. Haven't you ever wondered why I always come to you?"

"I just assumed it was because I literally can't outrun you." He replied and I went to the open window.

"No. That's not it at all. When I met you....after you caught me in that net, I mean, you made me feel....welcomed. You were open to helping me, teaching me....even when you were frightened of me you still offered your hand. I could have ripped you apart at any moment, but you still treated me better than most I had encountered. Stiles, _you_ are the reason I can do so many of the things I do now. And I'm glad Malia has you now as well. Life before, in the woods, _everything_ is so different from how it is here." Sitting on the window sill, I looked at Stiles with a soft, but somewhat sad, smile. "You know....you kind of remind me of my sister."

Stiles seemed rendered speechless as he looked at me, and before he could find the words to speak I rolled back out of the window and flipped midair to land feet first onto the ground below.


	29. Deadpool

"A deadpool?" I furrowed my brows while looking at the unfolded paper in my hands. "What's a deadpool?"

"Okay, you see these names?" Stiles pointed at the paper before dragging his finger across to the numbers beside them. "Whoever kills these people, gets money in return."

"....People are murdering other people for just 250 bucks?"

"Uh, try 250 thousand. The smaller numbers we think are million." Scott added and I nodded.

"If these are supernatural creatures in Beacon Hills, why am I not on here? You, Kira, Derek, and even Lydia are on here."

"This is only a third of the list, so it's still possible you're on it."

"Just not this part."

"Right."

"How....how do they even know these people aren't human? I mean, Lydia is technically human, she just has extra abilities. There's no telling her from another human unless she screams."

"We actually haven't figured that one out yet, but six people off of this list are already dead. That leaves us, and these two names." Scott pointed to Kayleen Bettcher and Elias Town, both worth 250 thousand.

"We also think whoever broke into the Hale vault is the one behind this, using Peter's money to fund the deadpool."

"What do you know about who's funding this?"

"Nothing other than he or she or it is called The Benefactor."

"And why do I get the feeling this isn't the only thing you're stressing about?" I asked, looking right at Scott and he made a face.

"Wha- Me?"

"You've reeked of tension for a while now."

"Wow, that nose of yours is, uh, really keen, huh?" Stiles gestured.

"Yes. It is. Now what is it?" Scott shifted on his feet, glancing from Stiles to me.

"I....kind of....bit someone."

"That's it?"

"It's more complicated than you think, Dakota." The human waved his hand and I shrugged.

"The Alpha made another Beta. As long as they didn't die from the bite, there shouldn't be a problem."

"Except it was on accident and he's not really into listening or remaining _calm_."

~

"Dakota?! What the Hell are you doing here?!" Stiles whisper-yelled as I plopped down on the bench between him and Scott.

"Derek's with Argent at the vault. I came to see how everything's going over here."

"So you're just showing up to crowded places now?" Scott furrowed his eyebrows and I pointed across the field.

"Remember, I used to watch you guys practice over there- it's not the first time I've been here."

"Wait, you what?" Kira leaned over to look at me and I glanced to her.

"When I was looking for a pack. Scott was the first Beta I found, so whenever he was out here I'd wait and watch for the rest of the pack. Off course, back then I didn't realize they wouldn't show up here so then I chased Stiles through the woods until he lead me to his trap and-"

"Wait, you knew about the trap?"

"You think I couldn't smell a large mass of metal just out in the middle of the woods? I _let_ you catch me. You really thought you outran me?" I chuckled and Stiles made a face. "So, where's the new Beta?"

"....Him." Scott pointed out one of the younger players. He had short, dirty blond hair and bright blue eyes. He looked strong for his age, too.

"Smart choice."

"What?"

"I said, smart choice. Having strong packmates makes the Alpha stronger in return."

"That's really how it works?" Kira asked and I nodded.

"Let's go!" An older man shouted and Scott jumped from the bench to catch up to him.

"That's the coach." Stiles told me in a low voice. "We're trying to keep Liam from playing."

"Why?"

"Because he can't control his shift yet."

"Oh.... Oh, that's not good."

"Exactly."

"Hey, Liam! Think fast!" A player in green shouted before throwing a ball at the new Beta, but the wolf easily caught it in one hand. I laughed while pointing at the new Beta.

"See? A smart choice!"

"Dakota, please."

"What?"

"Look, stay here, we have to go onto the field now." Stiles stood up while holding up his hands in front of me. "Stay off the field no matter what, okay? Even if one of us gets hurt, you have to stay here."

"....What?"

"Well, unless there's blood and screaming. If there's blood and screaming, then, you know, help us but don't kill anyone or shift or-"

"I got it."

"Good." Stiles nodded, giving two thumbs up. "Good." He sighed, and I watched him walk to the field with Kira and a mass of other players. Shortly after the game even started, the green team were the first to score and cheers rang out across the field.

They scored again after two players sent Liam to the ground in a very not so gentle manner. The Beta jumped to his feet, threw off his helmet and flung off his gloves before rushing the humans. Scott and Stiles both had to grab him before he reached the two in green and I could hear him growling from where I sat.

Leaning forward, I rested my elbows onto my knees, watching closely as this rather violent game played out. It was now that I was seeing why Scott was so stressed over this new Beta. He was extremely hotheaded and short-fused, not able to control his temper even with humans being the ones he was pissed at.

The whistle blew and Stiles got the ball before tossing it to Kira. She ran for the net, but players in green started closing in around her.

"Pass it! Pass it! Kira, pass the ball!" The coach shouted, but the kitsune flipped to an opening instead and shot the ball, getting a point since the boy in front of the net failed to catch it. "Yukimura! You get over here!" He shouted over the cheering.

Kira ran over with a grin, but her face fell as the human pointed to the bench. The coach waved his hand for her to sit, but paused when he looked back and saw me. His brows furrowed and Kira sat down next to me, smelling both of unease and disappointment.

"Who the Hell are you?" The Coach was looking right at me and I didn't know what to say. "What are you doing on our bench?"

"Stiles told me to sit here." I replied and the human made a face at me while Kira was silently panicking beside me.

"Wha- Stiles?" He turned to the field. "Stilinski!"

"Yes, coach?" And the older human pointed at me. "....Uuhh, that's my cousin! Yolanda! Doesn't speak a lot of English." And the whistle blew, cutting their loud verbal exchange off.

I quickly stood when I heard screaming, my eyes scanning the field to see who it was. I had seen the impact of at least three players, but I couldn't tell which one was injured. Spotting Liam, Scott, and Stiles standing huddled together, I sighed and sat back down. The screaming was coming from a boy in green. Watching as they carried him off the field, I soon found myself on my feet again.

That boy was a wolf.

"Dakota!" Kira called after me, but I was already pushing my way through the crowd to catch up the medics and player because I also scented wolfsbane- he was the target, not Liam or Scott or Kira. _Him_.

"What did you do to me?"

"You were cut with a poison blade." A female replied and I quietly stepped over the humans on the ground in the hallway by the locker room. "It was laced with wolfsbane." I heard something snap. "It won't kill you, but _this_ will."

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

"'Cause you're worth a lot of money, Brett." Entering the locker room, I saw a girl standing over the player in green, some sort of red hot wire in her hand. She reached down to grab his head, but I bared my fangs and roared, scaring her as she quickly spun around and nearly tripped over the wolf on the floor.

Growling, I stalked closer and she took a fighting stance. Like a fool, the human ran right at me and I caught her by the throat, slamming her against the lockers. She was choking, kicking out with her feet since she couldn't touch the ground.

"Who made the deadpool?" I snarled.

"I-I-" She looked like a fish with her wide eyes as she was gasping for air, but she didn't answer and I lifted her up higher.

"Who?!"

"I-I don't-"

"Dakota!" Scott barreled into the locker room. "Dakota, no! Put her down! Put her down!"

"I'm not going to kill her." I growled, turning to the Alpha only to see he was flashing his red eyes while pointing to the floor.

"I said _put. Her. Down_. Now."

"Fine." I snarled, but banged the human's head against the lockers to knock her out before dropping her. "What do we do about him? We can't just take him, but he's been poisoned."

"What?" Scott turned his attention to the Beta on the floor.

"Wolfsbane." I pointed just as Stiles scrambled in.

"I think you're going to have to call your dad." The Alpha told the human.


	30. Smells

"What the Hell is happening to this kid?!" Stiles and Derek were trying to keep the Beta down, but he wouldn't stop spasming and foaming at the mouth on the table.

"He was poisoned by a rare wolfsbane. I need to make an incision and you need to hold him as still as possible." Dr. Deaton held up a scalpel and leaned over the table.

"Hey, Derek, how about a little werewolf strength?"

"Okay, I'm not the only one here with 'werewolf strength'."

"If you can't hold him still, the incision might kill him."

"Move, Stiles." I stepped forward and grabbed the Beta's arm as the human stepped back. The Beta bucked, sending the doctor and Derek flying back as he twisted off the table. Growling, I grabbed him in a headlock and dropped to the ground, pinning his legs down with my own while sitting on the cold floor.

The Beta was snarling and thrashing about, clawing at my arms until he stopped fighting from being rendered unconscious.

"Well, that's one way to do it." Stiles popped off and I turned to the doctor.

"You might want to hurry, his heartbeat is dropping."

"Lay him down and back up." Dr. Deaton rushed over and I did as I was told. He cut straight down the boy's chest and a yellow powder escaped from the cut.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"I think he'll be fine, but he might be out for a little while."

"Guys....can you hear that?"

"....The sun, the moon, and the truth." I put my hands onto my knees while looking down at the Beta mumbling. "Mean anything?"

"Three things cannot long be hidden." Dr. Deaton stated. "The sun, the moon, and the truth. It's Buddhist."

"Satomi." Peter stated from the doorway.

~

"Wow, I'm surprised you even let Derek out of your sight." Peter popped off, looking over to me as I was curled up on the couch with the learning tablet.

"Why?"

"Well, he _is_ on the deadpool."

"He's a Beta werewolf. Not to mention if he could fight a berserker like he did, he can handle his own for now."

"....You don't know?"

"Know what?" I glanced up to the older wolf and he cast his eyes to the door before looking back at me.

"Derek's not as strong as he used to be." My brows knit together and Peter shifted on his feet. "You haven't noticed? Really? With how attentive you are?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, Dakota. It's not only his blue eyes that Derek has lost." There was a clattering thud from the tablet hitting the floor as I now had my hands fisted in the front of Peter's shirt. Growling low, I bared my fangs.

"What do you mean that's not all he's lost?"

"Dakota, he's losing his strength. He can't even heal like he used to."

"You're telling me this _now?_!" I snarled and stormed towards the loft door.

"I honestly thought you knew."

"No, you didn't, you fucking liar."

~

Tracking Derek, I also caught Malia's scent. They were out here in the woods, looking for Satomi's pack. It was already getting dark and I had yet to actually find them with the wind picking up and dying soon after.

Sure, I felt better knowing Malia was with Derek, but the girl was still just a teen and a coyote- there wasn't much she could do if another adult wolf showed up or if more people looking for the money from the deadpool appeared.

The wind picked died once more and I growled in frustration before pausing as I walked. I could have sworn I heard something....

Straining my ears, I listened to the sounds of the woods and heard a cry in the distance.

"Help me! Somebody! Aaaah!" There was a frustrated scream and I ran in the direction it was coming from. Whoever this was needed help _now_....Derek at least had Malia which would give him some time if something happened. "Hello?! Please!" The voice sounded near tears and was coming from a well.

"Liam?!" My brows furrowed as I looked into the well. The boy looked up and was clinging to the stone wall while water was up nearly to his chest. "What the Hell are you doing in there?"

"Oh, thank God! Lady, please, get help!"

"Oh, that's not good. You smell like wolfsbane."

"What?"

"Hold on." Kicking off my shoes, I then climbed over the well wall. Dropping down, I fell to the bottom of the well, hitting the water hard and creating a huge splash.

"Lady....are you crazy?! Now we're both stuck in here!" The soaked Beta yelled at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Just get on my back."

"....What?"

"Get on my back. You want to get out of here or not? I don't think Scott would like me letting his new Beta die in a well."

"Scott- Y-You know Scott?"

"I would hope so, he's our Alpha."

"You're a werewolf, too?"

"No, a Fenris. Now, get on my back so we can get out of here." I crouched to make it easier for the teen but he hesitated while just looking at me. "So you want to die from wolfsbane poisoning?"

"N-no. No." He slowly grabbed onto my shoulders, but he was talking too long so I grabbed his legs and hooked them over my hips.

"Hold on." I told him, growing out my claws before grabbing onto the slick stones in the well. Climbing, the boy went quiet but I knew he was nervous from his scent. Slipping a few times, I left deep claw marks in the stone each time I caught myself.

Reaching the top, I leaned over the edge and let the Beta climb off of my back before I swung my leg over. Grabbing his face, I looked it over before raising his arms and checking them.

"What....what are you doing?"

"Looking for- Oh, there it is." On his chest was the cut that got the wolfsbane into his system. "Okay, listen, I don't know how long you've been down there-"

"All day. Is-is that bad?" He looked worried while glancing to the cut.

"....Really bad."

"What?!"

"Whoa, whoa! Calm down! Look, I know someone that can help, okay? Just-Just come with me."

"Am I gonna die?!"

"If you don't hurry up." I popped off and the Beta was quick to follow me through the woods.

~

"Dr. Deaton?" Kicking through the door, I was now carrying the Beta. He had collapsed part of the way here, his breathing shallow and his heart racing. "Dr. Deaton?!"

"Back here."

"Dr. Deaton, he needs your help!"

"Put him on the table." The doctor moved quickly, digging through one of the drawers to find a clean scalpel. Setting the Beta down, I stepped back to let the man do what he had to the other Beta. "He should be fine now." Dr. Deaton sighed before looking to me. "I also have something for you."

"What?" I questioned, listening to Liam's breathing and pulse even out as the human went to a cabinet and pulled out a small box.

"Make this like you would a tea." He handed me the box. "Drink it and the lock your emissary put on you should be broken."

"Should be?"

"With how long it's been there, there is no certainties. However, that may also mean that it's weaker, but I'm not sure." I took the box and lifted the lid only to slam it shut right after. "It doesn't smell too pleasant, does it?" He chuckled and I shook my head.

"Hell no." Swallowing, I glanced up to the doctor and shifted on my feet. "Can I leave him with you? I have something else I need to take care of."

"Of course. I'll call Scott to let him know he's here."

~

Knocking on the glass, I waited a few seconds before the blinds flew up and I came face to face with Derek. I was soaking wet from both the well and the rain and I had a pissed off expression plain on my face. The wolf opened the window and I climbed into the hospital room, growling at Derek before pinning him against the wall.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You don't really have a phone-"

"That's not what I'm talking about!" Taking a step back, I took a deep breath while running my hands through my hair. "You knew, and you didn't tell me anything."

"Dakota, what are you-"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about." The Beta stopped in his tracks as I looked at him. Pointing, I flashed my fangs, completely ignoring the unconscious woman in the hospital bed. "Your powers. You're getting weaker, not just in strength, but everything else too! I don't know how I didn't notice sooner, your scent alone was changing while I was tracking you."

"What?"

"Yeah, apparently that's changing along with the other shit you didn't tell me about!"

"Dakota, look, I didn't-" He paused and I waited for him to finish. "I don't know what's happening to me. I didn't know if it was temporary or not, I didn't want to worry you if it was nothing."

"Worry me? You didn't want to _worry_ me? Derek, there's _millions_ of dollars for your _death_! There are people hunting inhumans all over Beacon Hills." I growled. "I had to hear it from _Peter_ because _you_ wouldn't tell me." The door opened and Scott's mom walked in with a needle in her hand. "We'll talk about this later." My voice was low and the human glanced to me briefly before going to the IV.

"What are you doing?"

"Waking her up."

"I thought you wanted her to rest?"

"That was until I heard the CDC just put the school under quarantine with Scott and Stiles still in there." She stated before Braeden gasped while sitting up in the bed. "Braeden. Braeden, look at me. You were shot, but you're in the hospital now and you're fine. Do you understand?" She nodded. "Good. Okay, last night you were in the woods and you came across another pack. Do you know what happened to them?"

"I-I told you, they were poisoned."

"No. No, they were _infected_. It was a virus....designed to kill werewolves....and it did. It killed them _all_." Braeden said.

~

"I can't believe you didn't tell me." I spoke quietly, looking at Derek as he sat a few feet from me.

"I already told you, I didn't-"

"It doesn't matter. If you noticed you were getting weaker, you _should_ have told me. We're pack. We're supposed to help each other. How the Hell am I supposed to help you if you won't fucking tell me what's wrong?" Waving my hand, I looked the wolf dead in the eye. "I thought this whole time it was only your eye color, but come to find out you can't catch a scent, you don't heal like you're supposed to, you're not even half as strong as you used to be- which now explains how that young Beta _threw_ you. Derek, I thought you trusted me."

"I _do_ trust you."

"Then why keep something like this from me?"

"Okay, fine. You want the truth? Here it is. I was scared. I _am_ scared. I'm fucking terrified of what's happening to me because I don't even know _what_ is happening to me. Am I just losing my abilities? Am I dying? I don't fucking know!" He stood, throwing up his hands while talking. "I didn't want anyone knowing until _I_ knew what the Hell was happening."

Sighing through my nose, I pulled the box I had gotten from Dr. Deaton from my pocket and set it onto the table in the room.

"What is that?"

"It's what Dr. Deaton has been helping me with. He finally finished it." Looking at Derek, I leaned onto the table. "What do you know about the Primal?" The wolf shifted on his feet as his expression changed.

"Only what Deaton warned me about."

"....I can't connect to it. Not yet, anyways. This," I gestured to the box. "will allow me to. If I can connect to the Primal, there's hardly anything I would have to worry about. I will become an apex predator among apex predators. Derek, I'll be able to protect the pack. But I _can't_ protect the pack if the pack doesn't trust me enough to talk to me about something so dangerous as what's happening to you."

"Dakota, there's nothing you _can_ do about what's happening to me."

"I could find Kate." I stated.

"Even if you could, she has berserkers."

"Without the Primal, I bit off one of their arms and another one's hand- imagine what I could do _with_ the Primal. I could get to her. I could find out what she did to you. We could fix what she did, Derek." He was quiet and leaned onto the table across from me, looking at the box while thinking.

"How does it work?"

"He said I had to make it like a tea. It smells fucking awful, but I'm not sure _what_ exactly it does."

"Why do you look worried?"

"....Because there's also a chance, slight from my understanding, that I may get stuck in the Primal state. Dr. Deaton said it's happened to a few other Fenris, but there's no telling if it'll happen to me or not. Either way, I'm willing to take that risk."

"Derek." Melissa knocked as she opened the door and I slid the box back into my pocket. "I think there's someone here you've been trying to find." She opened the door more and an older woman walked into the room. She was an Alpha, I could tell that much, and from what the human said I could assume this woman was Satomi.

~

"It's a variant of canine distemper. A few years ago, an outbreak in Yellowstone killed 40% of a wolf population." Dr. Deaton explained.

"What's it going to do to _our_ wolf population?" Melissa asked and I eyed the dead wolf with his skull cut open.

"Well, it's been altered to infect quite a bit faster."

"You mean it's been weaponized." Derek crossed his arms.

"It infected my whole pack."

"Everyone except for you. That's the real question- did you not get infected....or are you immune?" They went quiet and Deaton covered the body.

"If your pack was infected, who did all the shooting at the entrance to the woods?"

"Apparently another assassin." Satomi replied. "Personally, I'd prefer to face a _gun_ than a variant of small pox."

"Looks like you're gonna get plenty of chances." Melissa rubbed the back of her neck. It went quiet again and Derek noticed Satomi staring at him.

"Sorry, I just noticed....how much you remind me of Talia." The older wolf explained and Derek softly smiled. "I used to visit her a lot. Do you remember me?"

"I remember the tea. You always brought that tea that smelt terrible."

"I brought that tea as a gift. Your mother loved it."

"What kind of tea?" Dr. Deaton questioned.

"What?"

"The tea that smelled, what kind was it?"

"Reishi. Wild purple reishi. It's very rare."

"It's also a very powerful remedy for sickness. Satomi, you didn't get infected because you've been inoculated."

"Okay. Okay, how rare _is_ it?" Melissa questioned. "Can we find it?"

"We don't have to. My mother kept some of it. It's in our vault. I have to get to the school." Derek turned and went out the door, exiting the morgue.

"What about the others at lookout point?" Satomi questioned as the elevator dinged.

"Once we get the reishi, I can run it to the rest of your pack." I spoke up and Satomi looked at me. "I know the woods really well and-" Grabbing the back of Derek's neck, I pushed him down towards the floor just before a bullet hit him. It dug into the wall instead, and I turned on the woman exiting the elevator. A low growl began to grow deep in my chest as I advanced on her and she kept firing.

I didn't bother evading the bullets, I only went straight for the assassin. Each bullet stung as it hit, but none of them slowed me down and I didn't stop until my claws cut through the woman's throat.

She fell limp to the ground and blood quickly pooled on the floor around her.

"Dakota! Why didn't you dodge?!" Derek grabbed my shoulder, turning me around to check my wounds.

"You and Satomi were behind me, duh."

"Those bullets have _wolfsbane_!"

"So? We're in a hospital. Just get the bullets out and burn the poison."

"That doesn't mean you risk your life, Dakota." Dr. Deaton sighed.

"Well, it was either me or them and I prefer me." I waved my hand. "I mean, who's got the higher healing factor anyway? The werewolves or the Fenris?"

"Fenris? _You're_ the Fenris?" Satomi asked and I nodded.

"Deaton, can you take care of this? The other's need that reishi."

"Of course."

"Wait, you're leaving without me?"

"Dakota, you're full of lead and wolfsbane, you aren't going anywhere until it's out."


	31. Chains

"Make sure they're tight." The heavy chains rattled and scraped across the floor as they were wrapped tighter. "And you....you _have_ to aim for the head." I looked to Braeden with a serious expression. "You might miss the heart, but you can't miss the head."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked, pushing the clip of bullets into her gun until it clicked.

"I'm sure." Sighing, I flexed my hands as they were bound behind my back. "If all goes according to plan, shit will get really interesting. If not....well, that's why you're armed."

"Exactly how strong are you supposed to be?" Her brows furrowed as she cocked the gun.

"I have absolutely no clue." I replied, watching Derek go to the kitchen area to get the tea. Swallowing, I steeled myself for the foul smelling drink.

"Ready?" The wolf knelt down in front of me and I nodded. He brought the cup to my lips and I drank, grimacing as soon as it touched my tongue. It was absolutely disgusting and I had to drink every last bit of it. Derek took a step back out of caution and then we waited.

And waited.

"So....is that it? How do we know it worked?" Braeden questioned and Derek furrowed his eyebrows.

"I'm not sure. Dakota, how do you feel?" He reached out to me and I felt the blood drain from my face as I vomited all over the floor and his leg. "....Great."

"Oh, gross." Braeden cringed and I vomited again. It was completely black and smelled like the tea, and I heard shouting as Derek fell back while the human was repeatedly cursing. I felt light headed as my vision was swaying and I groaned before screaming as it felt like my skin was burning.

"Mommy! Mommy!" Lisa's voice was so loud and shrill in my ears, but I was choking on smoke and couldn't see a thing other than the fire surrounding me and burning my room.

"Lisa! Dakota! _Run!_ " Dad yelled and my bedroom door burst open. Greyson came stumbling to me where I was trapped in the corner, going through the fire to pick me up and rush back out of the room. Greyson ran as fast as he could, moving to my sister's room next, but she wasn't there.

"Lisa! Lisa, where are you?" The house was creaking and groaning, the heat feeling so unbearable as I was carried downstairs. "Lisa, no!" Greyson grabbed her by the back of her shirt as she ran past, going for the man in the living room.

He was human, I could tell that much, and....Dad's head was at his feet.

"Oh, there's the sweet little _pups_." The man grinned and both Lisa and I were wailing as Greyson ran in the opposite direction, having to jump over a fallen support beam. He kicked down the back door, running out into the woods as the cool air nipped at our skin.

Greyson only got a few yards before he fell, an arrow sticking out of his leg.

"Go! Lisa, take your sister and run! Go! Now!" He pushed us forward, the dead leaves on the ground crunching under our feet. " _Go!_ "

Everything hurt as I ran, and hot tears burned down my cheeks as Lisa held my hand. I didn't look back, not even when I heard the distinct cracking of bones. Lisa stumbled and I pulled her back up as we entered the tree line.

A whistle echoed in the night as if one were calling to a dog but there was no dog, just us and the Hunter.

Lisa fell again, but when I tried to help her back up I screamed and wailed- a crossbow bolt was sticking out of the back of her head.

I had to run.

I had to find Alpha Talia.

My feet carried me past the trees, my eyes burning and my vision blurry from crying. The ground hurt my feet, and the cold was starting to feel just as hot as the fire. If I howled for Talia the Hunter would find me before she could- I had to keep quiet, and I had to-

Screaming, my breath formed clouds in the air as an arrow pinned my arm to a tree stump. I grabbed the bolt, trying to pull it free, but it wouldn't budge and I was sobbing all from grief, pain, and fear. Blood stained my shirt and pooled onto the tree and the ground around it as I was struggling.

I knew that even if I lost the arm I could still survive, but I'd still need a way to get free.

My heart was thumping so quickly I thought it'd beat right out of my chest and my panic rose as I heard crunching leaves. Biting into the arrow, I tried to pull it out that way, but it was in deep and barely moving.

The footsteps were getting closer.

And closer.

And closer-

"Aw, look at you. Like a little rabbit, you are." I growled, baring my teeth at the Hunter as my canines began to sharpen. "Yes, we both know you're far from a harmless rabbit. No....you're just a rabid animal, aren't you?" The man kicked my jaw, causing my head to jerk to the side as a tooth flew into leaves on the ground.

He stepped onto my chest, pinning me to the stump as I struggled under his boot. The Hunter slung his crossbow over his shoulder and readjusted his gloves on his hands. I started to shift, biting into his boot while growling, but he only chuckled.

"These are steel toe, young one. Your jaws can't break that just quite yet." He grabbed my snout and forced my jaws closed, locking eyes with me as the moon shone bright in the sky behind him. "Didn't your mommy ever tell you if you kill a human, Hunters come?" I didn't know what he was talking about- we hadn't killed any humans. It was against Talia's laws.

He jerked his hand to the side roughly, forcing me to look up as I was struggling. My hind claws dug into the dirt, trying to find some form of leverage I could use against the human. With his free hand, he pulled a knife from his hip and rammed it into the side of my neck.

I couldn't scream- it only came out as airy wheezing that quickly turned to gurgling. The Hunter lifted his boot from my chest, but it felt like I was drowning as I put my hand over the wound, trying to get the bleeding to stop. This Hunter....I did nothing to him, none of us had, yet he looked at me with such cold eyes.

It was so hard to breath, even harder to do so when the human grabbed my hand and pinned it to the tree stump only to shoot another bolt into my arm.

"Don't take this personally, pup." The Hunter spoke. "Even at this age you can be dangerous- can you imagine the problem you'd be as an adult? Hell," He chuckled, turning his head and pulling his shirt collar to the side to show a gnarly gash on his shoulder. "your sire still managed to give me this even after being poisoned."

My eyes couldn't keep focus anymore and my head fell back. All I saw now was the dark sky full of stars and black clouds. _'I don't want to die....'_

Darkness crept further and further into my vision until I couldn't see anything at all. _'I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to.... I don't want....'_

~

Roaring as I sat up, I was panting and sweating, wildly looking around while not recognizing anything. Where was I? What-

"....a! ....ota! _Dakota!_ " My head snapped up and I saw a man looking at me with eyes full of concern. Derek. This man was Derek. Looking around again, I realized I was on the couch in the loft. "Are you okay?" His eyebrows knit together as he sat on the edge of the couch and wiped some tears from my cheek.

I launched at him, clinging to the wolf while burying my face into his shoulder. He didn't say anything as he wrapped his arms around me, just holding onto me in such a comforting way.

"....The lock's gone." I mumbled low, fisting my hands into the back of his shirt. "But the memories are back. ....All of them."

"Oh, Dakota." He sighed, rubbing a hand over my back in a gentle manner.

"....Derek....I'm should be dead."

"What?"

"I should be _dead_."

"Whoa, hey. Look at me." I didn't move and he sighed. "Dakota, come on." Hesitantly, I leaned back to look the wolf in the eye. "Now, what the Hell are you talking about."

"The night Gerard murdered my family- I remembered something else. He killed me, too. But...." I scoffed, shaking my head like it was all a twisted joke. "It was the Nematon."

"....The Nematon?"

"When the Durach almost killed me, the Nematon healing me wasn't coincidence. It did it before, it's the reason I'm alive. Gerard killed me _on_ the Nematon and my blood, it-it-"

"It gave the Nematon power." Derek finished for me and I nodded slowly.

"This whole time....I thought I lived because I managed to run away....but it's because Gerard _had_ killed me. I.... Why does everything go back to that fucking tree?!" I growled and Derek had me sit back down and I noticed his leg was wrapped in bandages. "What the Hell happened to your leg?!"

"You." Braeden popped off as she entered the loft, closing the door behind her before pulling off a pair of thick gloves.

"I thought I said-"

"Relax, you didn't go 'Primal' or whatever." She tossed the gloves while walking towards us. "That black stuff you vomited- turns out it was highly acidic. I swear, the more I'm around you the weirder shit gets."

"I didn't connect to the Primal?"

"No, you just screamed and passed out for hours."

~

It was dark and quiet in the loft, the only light coming from the moon outside. I knew it was late, but I couldn't sleep with the unlocked memories swirling in my head. Trying to focus on Derek's breathing and heartbeat beneath my ear, it was the only comforting and constant thing I had at the moment.

"You should get some sleep." Derek's voice was low and I looked up at him.

"How'd you know I was awake?"

"Your eyes are glowing."

"Sorry." Resting my head back onto his chest, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"Still thinking about Gerard and the Nematon?"

"Still thinking about everything." I mumbled. "Like, apparently, I knew your mom."

"What?"

"I knew your mom. She'd tell me stories while we had tea together." Draping my arm over his side, I furrowed my brows. "I even remember you coming to play with Lisa in the yard. And I remember...."

"Remember what?"

"I remember breaking your nose."

"What?" Pushing myself up, I looked down at Derek with a serious expression.

"I broke your nose." I said, but laughed as he furrowed his brows at me.

"Why the Hell did you do that?"

"You and Lisa were sparring and you managed to throw her down and she started crying. So I punched you." Chuckling, I shook my head. "I think it was from then on that you only wanted to play with Lisa."

"I'm not surprised." Derek grinned.

"How are you, by the way?"

"The leg is fine. Still works." He chuckled.

"I mean werewolf you." I saw his jaw clench. "Derek....let me see your eyes."

"You see them right now."

"Your _real_ eyes." He just looked at me and my expression fell. "What else is gone now?"

"Everything." Derek sighed, resting his other hand onto his stomach. "No heightened smell, sight, hearing."

"Not even strength?"

"I can still win in a fight." I quirked up a brow at him. "What?" Grabbing his wrists, I pinned them down by his head while straddling his torso.

"Then try to get free."

"Dakota-"

"Do it." He rolled his eyes and I only waited until he finally did try, but I didn't move even an inch.

"You're a Fenris, this isn't really fair."

"You're like a human, Derek. You _can't_ fight fair with supernatural creatures, especially ones like me. Werewolves, kanimas, wendigo- all of them can kick your ass now. You don't have that edge anymore, that werewolf strength." Looking across the loft to Braeden as she slept while softly snoring. "I want you to start training with her."

"What?" He softly laughed.

"I'm serious. She knows how to fight supernaturals even though she's human. She can help you in a way I can't. Not to mention when I go after Kate I can't bring you with me."

"That's bullsh-"

"I bring you, you will only get in the way, Derek. Either Kate tries to attack you and I have to focus on protecting you or she manages to get you and uses you to her advantage." I stated, locking eyes with Derek while giving a serious expression. "Derek, you are my weakness and you're just too vulnerable the way you are now. You _need_ to have a way to protect yourself for when I can't."

"But you haven't even connected to the Primal yet. Without control of that power there's no certainty you'll even beat Kate."

"That's why I haven't left already. In the morning I'm going to speak to Deaton about it. Hopefully, he'll know something about what happened and why it didn't work." Letting go of Derek's wrists, I leaned back as my shoulders went slack. "And if _you_ don't ask Braeden to train you, _I_ will to make sure it happens."

~

"It only unlocked your memories?"

"That's it." I paused. "And it made me vomit this acidic black stuff." I waved my hand and Dr. Deaton shifted on his feet while leaning his hands onto the silver table.

"Well, I'm not surprised you didn't connect to the Primal, you don't know how. That tea was only to break the lock, now you have to open the gate yourself."

"But how am I supposed to do that? My emissary and my parents all kept me from even learning about the Primal. I don't know _anything_ about it."

"Dakota, I can't tell you how either. It's something instinctual, something learned but learned differently for each individual. Connecting to the Primal is like controlling the shift on a full moon. Means of control varies."

"But connecting to the Primal isn't about control, it's about losing it."

"On the contrary- the Primal _is_ about control, just maybe not the kind you think."

"What?" I crossed my arms, leaning back onto the counter as my brows furrowed.

"You have to keep control to not lose yourself to the beast inside, but you are letting go of your human self. You'll still be in control, just not 'human' you. It'll be your instincts, your animalistic drive, the wolf." Deaton waved his hand while explaining.

"Okay, so who can teach me how to do that? I mean, my human self is already pretty damn close to a wild animal, I don't know why this isn't just _happening_."

"You may not like the answer."

"Deaton. Who?"

"Who do you know that has a history of giving in to the wolf?"

"Alphas. But Scott's-"

"Not Scott. Not an Alpha- not anymore, at least." Dr. Deaton raised his eyebrows while tilting his head. "I can tell you how, but it'll only be steps without instructions coming from me. You need someone that _knows_ the primal urges of the wolf, that _knows_ what it's like to give in to the beast." My expression changed and the human nodded.

~

"....I need your....help." I nearly cringed while looking to the older Beta.

"Oh? The great Fenris needs _my_ help? Whatever with?"

"Don't look so happy, Peter, I'll still hit you if you piss me off."

"Duly noted." He shut the book he had in his hand and set it down. "What do you need?"

"Apparently, me being feral has made it nearly impossible for me to differentiate between the human and the wolf." I mumbled and Peter quirked up a brow, gaining a look of interest.

"You can't connect to the Primal?"

"No."

"And you think I can help?"

"When you were an Alpha, you...."

"Oh, I see." He nodded, walking towards me while looking me dead in the eye. "But I want you to know, Dakota, this won't come free."

"I don't have any money, stupid."

"No shit, wild child, but you do have other things." Peter rubbed his chin. "Let's just say you'll owe me a favor. How's that sound?"

"What kind of favor?"

"Yet to be determined."

"No."

"Then I guess you'll just have to find someone else-"

"There _isn't_ anyone else." I growled. "The only other wolf that would know how to help me is Deucalion."

"Good luck with that." Peter smiled and I lowly growled.

"Help me, damn it. If I can connect to the Primal, do you realize what all could be done?"

"Oh, I'm fully aware. But it's not me that needs you, it's _you_ that needs _me_." He raised his eyebrows while standing a foot away now. "So either you agree to my terms, or have fun finding someone else."

"Terms? You only gave one." I crossed my arms and the wolf grinned.

"I help you tap into this power, you lend me that power. Of course, I'll only need it on a few occasions if at all. That, and the I.O.U."

"You're a fool if you think I'm stupid enough to-"

"No, but are you desperate enough? I'm sure you'll look back to this conversation when Kate's munching on Derek like a set of barbecue ribs." Snarling, I grabbed the wolf by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. Peter raised his hands while looking down at me. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy, now. Kicking my ass won't really do you any good, you know? That'd actually make me _less_ inclined to help you."

"....How would I 'lend' you my power?"

"Do what I tell you. I get an enemy, you take them out, et cetera, et cetera. Simple, really."

"That's all?"

"That's all." I paused, thinking as I held Peter against the wall.

"Fine."

"Then, I guess we have a deal, _Fenris_."

~

"I said _listen-_ "

"I am!" I growled, baring my teeth as my hands balled into fists.

"Not with your ears, you fool. Listen to your instincts, your urges."

"My _urges_ are telling me to wring your neck."

"You want to connect to the Primal? _Then do it_." Peter snarled, slamming his hands down onto the floor in front of me as I sat cross-legged in the empty warehouse. His eyes were bright blue as he bared his fangs, his face incredibly close to mine. "You're more wolf than any of us, Dakota, and that makes you less human than us. Do you know what that means? That means the beast in you is _louder_ , _stronger_. You need to let go of your human restraints, those useless fears. _Become the beast_."

"I'm trying!"

"Try harder! If you need to get angry, then get _angry_. You've gone too soft since you left those woods, Dakota. Where's that wild fire you had? That animalistic freedom?"

"Shut up, you stupid wolf!"

"No, see- you've got it all wrong." Peter pointed at me. "You call _us_ the wolves when in truth it's _you_ that is the wolf. We're _nothing_ compared to you and you're too scared to admit that you're more of a _monster_ than any of us." Peter grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look right at him. "Once you realize the animal you are, you'll be able to connect to the Primal. The only thing holding you back is yourself. The second- the _second_ \- you accept the creature that you are, the power you have, _nothing_ will be able to stop you."

"I'm not-"

"You _are_. Remember it- the taste of fresh blood on your tongue, your heart racing from the hunt, adrenalin coursing through your veins from the fight. The sound of your breath heavy from the run, the feel of the earth beneath you, the excitement of the kill." Peter snarled. "You were _wild_ , Dakota. How many times did you find yourself covered in the blood of your prey? To have the scent of death dripping off your chin?"

"Being wild isn't the same as being the wolf." I snarled, jerking my head back away from his hand.

"Then be the _wolf_."

"It's not that easy! There isn't a difference! I am the wolf and the wolf is me, you idiot! This is all so fucking _stupid_ -" I reeled back as Peter fully shifted and snapped his jaws at my face.

"I'm the idiot? You just said it yourself, wild child." The wolf grinned while waving his hand. "You are the wolf and the wolf is you. So what's the problem?" He lunged at me, swinging his hand with claws bared. I simply caught his wrist before his claws made contact with my face and I snarled.

"You think provoking me through combat will work? I don't even need the Primal to kick your ass."

"All your hesitation is exactly why you can't connect to the Primal. You'll never be able to do it, not with how you are. You're too _weak_. Derek will die all because you can't let loose even a little bit."

"Shut up!" I growled, my eyes turning silver.

"Well, it's either that or Kate turns him into her toy. Again. Those two have history, you know? And she's already tried once, who's to say she won't try again? Except, this time, she succeeds. Gets Derek on her side."

"I said _shut up_!"

"That not enough for you? Do you not love Derek? Do you not care what happens to him because you're not strong enough to protect him? The pack? Your _family_?" I shoved Peter back, my claws and ears turning to points. "Struck a nerve, have I?" The wolf scoffed. "Upset that you couldn't do _anything_? Couldn't save _anyone_?"

"Peter, I fucking swear-"

"What? You'll kick my ass? Oh, boo-hoo, poor little orphaned Fenris. Can't connect to the Primal, can't protect the pack, can't protect anything. You're a coward. Always running away whenever things get too hard. That's probably how your family died, isn't it? You ran while they were screaming and burning, leaving them to die just so that you could live. How _selfish_. And I'm the 'bad guy' around here? You saw your family being killed and even then you couldn't do the _one_ thing that comes naturally to your kind. If you ask me, that just sounds _pathetic_. People are dying all because of you. Lucius, Mary, Lisa, Erica, Boyd- all of them. Their blood is on your hands all because you're too _weak_ , too _scared_ , too-" I roared at the Beta, loud and unrestrained and full of anger. I wanted him to stop talking, to do anything but put the blame on me for things I couldn't even control because....in a way....he was right.

If I could have connected to the primal I could have done _something_ to help. I could have stopped the Alpha pack. I could have stopped Gerard. I could have saved them all. I could have done so much if I only had the power I was meant to have.

Peter scrambled back as the sound rattled the warehouse. The wolf shifted completely back to human form while raising his hands defensively and it took him a moment to realize how drastically he had reacted to the noise. His brows furrowed as he slowly looked me up and down and I was tense, on the verge of sinking my teeth into his throat as my body was shaking from rage.

"....An Alpha roar?" Peter's voice was so low I hardly even heard him.


	32. Third Cipher

"I said _leave me alone_." Growling, I shoved the door open and stepped out into the night.

"No, now you hold on just a second-" Peter grabbed my arm, making me turn and I snapped my jaws at his hand to make him let go. "That was an Alpha roar- and there's only _one_ way you can do an Alpha roar."

"It wasn't, now will you stop it?! That was just a weaker animal reacting to a stronger one, nothing more."

"No, I _know_ the difference. Will you stop walking away?!" Peter grabbed my arm again, but jerked back to avoid getting bit. "Look, it actually makes sense if you think about it. I mean, how you always fought with Derek, how you still struggle to listen to Scott- it's because you're an Alph-" The Beta was cut off from my fist making contact with his jaw. Peter went down, knocked out cold and I left him there while getting further and further away from the warehouse.

This was bad. This was _really_ bad. Of all people to find out, it had to be _Peter_. Hell, I myself had only figured it out when my memories had returned, and it was the whole reason I was locked from the Primal in the first place.

I had inherited my father's Alpha status. It was why I didn't even need the Primal when I was younger, I was already so strong, but still not strong enough when it mattered.

~

"He covered you in gasoline?" Derek questioned while looking the man over and holding his wrists to check his hands.

"It's the hair and nails. They're essentially dead, they should be gone."

"I was set on fire, all of me should be gone."

"Not if you're like us." Scott smirked.

"Like you?"

"I don't think he's like _us_." Derek stated.

"Because he's not." I piped up, ripping open a bag of Doritos while hopping up onto the kitchen counter. "And you're not dead because your kind are immune to fire."

"Then what is he?" Lydia questioned.

"Wait, my _'kind'_?"

"You know what he is, Dakota?"

"The scent is familiar, but I don't know what they're called. Saw one once in the woods."

"Oh, that's helpful." Derek sighed. "How about we check the Beastiary? You contact Argent?" He turned to Scott.

"I don't know where he is."

"Wait, hold on, what's a 'Beastiary'?" The man looked so confused. "Actually, that's not even my first question. Just....just tell me one thing. Are all of you like Lydia? Are you all psychic?"

"....Psychic?"

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Not exactly." Scott crossed his arms as the man glanced at him.

"Okay, then. What are you?" Scott and Derek exchanged looks before the Alpha showed the stranger his red eyes.

~

"What's a Kanima?"

"We'll get back to that." Scott waved his hand and sat down on the couch to continue filling the new guy in on everything. "Just know that everyone like us, everyone with some kind of supernatural ability is on the deadpool."

"But _I_ don't even know what I am."

"Well, I'm pretty sure they don't care." Derek popped off.

"How many professional assassin's are we talking about?"

"We're starting to lose count." Lydia answered.

"I don't think it's only professionals at this point." I stated before waving my hand. "'Cause wasn't the guy that tried to burn you just a cop?"

"Yeah, I don't think Hade had ever tried anything like this. I think he was just taking a chance."

"Then that means _anyone_ with a deadpool can 'take a chance'."

"And if Hade had it, then who else does? How easy is it to get this thing now?"

"I don't know but I'm pretty sure I know where it came from." Lydia sighed.

"What?" The cop furrowed his brows.

"Meridith was only at my grandmother's lake house once....but I think once was enough."

"How did your grandmother know Meridith?"

"She didn't. She found her because of another woman named Maddy. The woman she loved. I never met her, but I saw her name everywhere." Lydia explained while pulling out a photo. "She was part of a yacht racing team. There's plaques and trophies all over the lake house from the regattas she'd won."

"How'd she die?"

"How's not the story." Lydia shifted on her feet. "It's what happened right before. My grandmother, Loraine, used to work in San Fransisco for IBM. She was there on a weekend, catching up on work and she started hearing this....sound....like rain, but when she looked out the windows....all she saw was blue sky."

"But she kept hearing the rain?"

"And it just kept getting louder. Rain, thunder, cracks- like gunshots in her head. So loud she finally just screamed."

"Like a Banshee." Derek stated.

"She called Maddy, who was planning on taking one of the boats out onto the lake. Maddy said that the sun was shining there, too, so Loraine didn't say anything."

"There was an accident."

"It took them four days to find Maddy's body." Lydia nodded. "And it took _decades_ to figure out how Loraine knew. She started with parapsychologists- the PHD in their name made it more scientific. They built the study in the lake house according to every pseudo-scientific theory they could find. None of it worked. Then she started getting into more extreme occults, mediums, psychics, but all of them were failures....until Meridith. They found her at Eichen House. This fragile girl that didn't understand the things she heard. They brought her to the study and they almost killed her. She was hospitalized for over a year. She....never really recovered. My grandmother drove her insane. And I drove her to suicide. And all she ever wanted to do was help. My grandmother created the code for the deadpool." The redhead then pulled out a piece of paper and laid it out onto the table. "I'm thinking she's the banshee that got the names out in the first place. She left me this message in the same code."

"But she didn't leave a cipher key, did she?" Scott asked and Lydia shook her head.

~

"If the deadpool really was made by a banshee....then there's something else you should know about." I heard Scott's voice as I stepped out of the bathroom. I had thought he left when the others did earlier, but apparently not. "Your name broke the third list. It was a cipher key."

"And the other two keys were Allison and Aiden." Derek replied and I paused as the towel on my head slipped to my shoulders.

"And I-I don't want to make you nervous, but....kinda feels like there might be a pattern there, doesn't it? Allison, Aiden....you."

"Names picked by a banshee."

"I-It could mean that you're in danger."

"Scott. Banshees don't predict danger."

"They predict death." Their faces shot in my direction when I spoke and their expressions twisted as if I shouldn't have heard what had been said.

"Well, I'm not dead yet." Derek tried to make light of the situation, but it didn't work.

"There's also another thing." Scott crossed his arms. "Dakota is the only one not on any of the lists."

"I'm not surprised." Derek shrugged and Scott rose a brow. "Dakota's a Fenris." He waved his hand at me. "Do you know anyone or thing that can take down a Fenris?"

"Not in a fair fight, but some of the assassins have used wolfsbane- that works on me, too. It doesn't make sense for all the supernaturals in Beacon Hills to be on the deadpool except for me."

"I mean....maybe he has a point? So far the prices seem to be based on difficulty and their budget is limited. Maybe you're just too hard to kill to even bother with." Scott stated and I shook my head.

"That would only mean I'd be more of an obstacle to get to you guys. I'd get in the way, and I _have_ gotten in the way. I'm telling you, it doesn't make sense."

~

"I'll do it before it happens." My voice was quiet and I felt Derek shift to look down at me as we laid curled up in bed together.

"What?"

"Connect to the Primal. I'll do it and get Kate, then we'll find how to fix you before it's too late."

"Dakota-"

"No, I'll do it. I promise. You're not going to die." I clenched my jaw and Derek gently rubbed my shoulder while kissing my forehead. He didn't say anything and I couldn't tell if he thought whole-heartedly I'd do it or if he had already accepted the banshee's prediction.


	33. Survivors

"Dakota! Back here!" My ears twitched when I heard Scott. Pushing the plastic sheets hanging from the ceiling to the side, I stepped past a busted up desk. As far as I knew, this abandoned building was owned by Mr. Argent and was being used as a sort of safe house for the supernaturals Kira had found. It seemed like the rest of the names on the deadpool had found each other and found safety in numbers- for the most part.

"I'm pretty sure I got everything." I said while setting down a giant box onto a table and sliding the backpack off of my shoulders.

"Good." Scott nodded, ripping open the box as people slowly filtered out of a room behind him. "Okay, we've got....fruit snacks, crackers, peanut butter, trail mixes...." Scott listed them off as he pulled them out of the box and set them onto the table, but paused when he pulled out a bottle of vitamins. "Um...."

"They've been going hungry trying to run from the assassin's, Scott. They aren't exactly getting proper nutrition." I explained while pulling out more jars of peanut butter and boxes of crackers that were plain and salted, even some chicken flavored. "And I read peanut butter is a good protein source for cheap. Can't exactly store meat in here."

"Thank you." Satomi smiled at me as werewolves and other creatures were picking stuff up from the table to eat.

"No problem. Survival is easier when there's help." Grabbing the backpack, I unzipped it and started unloading the water bottles onto the table.

"About that," Scott looked at me after glancing to the others. "they could really use your help. The assassins have been on their trail and I don't know if we managed to lose them or not."

"I doubt it. It's more likely they're waiting for nightfall to make a move." Argent spoke up and I noticed a bag full of weapons hanging at his side. "But we'll be ready for them."

"Either way, I'm calling for back-up just in case."

~

"They may have claws and fangs, but they're not fighters." Derek popped off.

"That's why I called you."

"Well, try to remember that I don't have claws and fangs anymore, either."

"That's why he called me." Braeden gestured with her head.

"Am I the only one still hoping this is just a false alarm? I mean, it's possible we could just wait her all night long and nothing happen. Right?" Kira asked.

"Doubtful." I scoffed.

"Scott, you hear from Stiles or Lydia yet?"

"Lydia's still talking to Meridith, and Stiles and Malia are headed to the lake house to try an stop it."

"What if there's no stopping it?" Brett piped up. "What if it doesn't end until we're all dead?"

"Then let's send a message. Let's make tonight perfectly clear to _anyone_ with a copy of that list. It doesn't matter if they're professional assassins, Hunters, or an amateur that just picked up a gun. _Anyone_ who thinks they can hunt and kill us for money is going to be put on another list- our list. They get to be a name on _our_ deadpool." Derek spoke with a steady and determined tone, looking over the faces in the room.

In all honesty Hunters still terrified me, I was still scared to kill humans in the fear of them coming after me, but these people, the pack, they needed me to make a stand.

~

The alarm going off alerted us of the oncoming assassins before their flashbangs did.

"Get back!" Braeden yelled as smoke filled the air along with bullets aimed at chest and head level. People in armored vests and helmets flooded in, armed to the teeth and cocky as Hell.

Going low, I ran to flank the main group and my claws went through the nearest one's left leg. My claws went deep, tearing through flesh and fabric with such ease as screaming filled the air. Grabbing the front of their vest, I picked them up and threw them at two others, taking them all down as they fell through a wall.

Gunfire filled my ears and the scent of fear was rising, thickening. The assassins were spreading out, but I was still cutting them down, sending blood flying.

"Dakota!" Scott roared and I darted back towards him, spotting a cluster of assassins closing in on some supernaturals he wouldn't be able to reach in time. Baring my teeth, my tongue lolled out as my breath was heavy as I barreled right into the group. My jaws crushed one man's face as my claws tore out the throats of two others. Standing, I locked eyes with the last one as a man still dangled from my jaws and another from each hand.

Blood was pooling on the floor and staining my fur as the assassin still standing began to step back to get distance while firing at me. Dropping the bodies as bullets pierced my skin, I roared and smacked the gun out of the human's hands before grabbing them.

The scent of fear was nearly choking me as blood coated my tongue and adrenalin burned through my veins. Twisting, I threw the assassin much like a football and sent them soaring until they crashed into a support beam with a loud crack of their spinal column no doubt jamming into their skull.

Yes, it was all so brutal, but these humans were hunting other people just for _money_. Innocent strangers dead in exchange for a quick buck. They were the true monsters here and I was only trying to protect those too weak to protect themselves.

The gunfire suddenly ceased and the assassins retreated as quickly as possible. Panting, I turned to the others, seeing which of us survived and which of us didn't.

Derek.

Where was Derek?!

My heart picked up pace, but my momentary panic ceased as soon as I spotted him coming out from behind a column. Plopping down onto the floor, I sighed with relief and let my head hang from my shoulders.

It was quiet now. Closing my eyes, I focused on calming my breathing. The fear instilled into me about killing humans was still very strong, but in time like these I had no choice. I couldn't let that fear get the better of me. Peter had a point in calling me a coward and I knew it even as blood was dripping from my fur.


	34. Primal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *WARNING: Mature content ahead, proceed at own risk*

Jumping out of bed, my eyes darted to the alarm on the wall going off. Rain beat heavily against the windows and Derek pulled a gun from under his pillow while quickly getting to his feet. Cautiously getting closer to the door, I waved my hand to Derek.

"It's Lydia."

"Lydia?" His brows furrowed and I went up the stairs to the loft door as he lowered the gun. "What the Hell is Lydia doing here?"

"Why don't we ask her?" Sliding open the door, I saw the girl standing there, absolutely drenched, and still in her pajamas. She looked out of it and her eyes locked onto Derek before she screamed. The shrill noise sent me to my knees as I covered my ears, trying to block out the sound.

~

"Okay."

"Don't you wanna know why it took so long to return it?" Scott timidly asked.

"How much do you make at the animal clinic?"

"Minimum wage."

"That's why." Derek shrugged. "Everyone can be tempted, Scott. Even a true Alpha."

"You're _not_ angry?"

"It's not even mine, it belongs to Peter." Derek waved his hand to the duffel bag full of money on the coffee table.

"Where's your money?"

"You're standing on it." Scott looked down and his eyes went wide as his voice dropped.

"There's another vault?!" I snorted while Derek smiled at the Alpha.

"He owns the building." I explained.

"And I have my own bank accounts. All the money from the vault was Peter's. I actually think we'd be better off if the rest of it never came back." He stood up and closed the bag, but Scott was staring at him.

"....I know Lydia was here last night. Deaton's still working on figuring out _what_ Kate did to you. If anyone can find an answer it's him."

~

"Breathe in....and out." Taking in a deep breath, I slowly let it out. "Now, focus on my voice. Nothing else matters but my voice." Hands brushed through my hair, sweeping it out of my face and the action helped me to relax. The sweet scent of incense tickled my nose as it burned a few feet away.

I was trying again to connect to the Primal and from the incident with Peter it was clear anger was not the route to take. Derek had the idea to try something else, to ease into the Primal rather than force it. There was a click as the last lock was put on.

Despite trying to ease into it, connecting to the Primal was still risky and precautions needed to be taken, so we were in the basement with chains bolted to the concrete and locked onto each of my limbs as well as a collar big enough for my shifted form with one end bolted to the floor.

"Push all of your worries out of your mind, just for now. It's just us. You're safe." He said with a gentle tone before tying on the blindfold to take away visual distractions. "Clear your mind."

"That's a bit hard with everything going-" I cut myself off, feeling Derek's breath on my shoulder as his fingers ran up my spine. His palm went flat at my shoulder blade and slowly went down my back.

"The most basic animalistic urges can be simplified down to three types. The urge to feed, to fight, and to fuck." Derek explained. "To bring out the Primal with the need to feed you would have to be starving, and with fighting, well, it'd take some Berserkers to do that and it's too dangerous. So, that leaves us with with one other option."

"I'm not sure how that's going to work when we've had sex before and I definitely didn't connect to the Primal."

"It's going to be different this time." His lips brushed the back of my neck as he grabbed my hips.

"How do you know this will work?" I swallowed, catching how his scent shifted as he ran his hands up my sides.

"I don't, but it's worth a try. Unless you don't want to, then just say so."

"No, if it _could_ work....might as well do it." Half-shrugging, I raised my eyebrows. "Plus, this way isn't painful like the other two."

"Not unless you want it to be." Derek nipped the back of my neck and I felt a shiver run up my spine. The man may be human now but his aroused scent was still so enticing. His hands slid beneath my breasts, cupping them from the bottom and squeezing. A low purr began to rumble deep in my chest as my nipples hardened.

Derek gently kissed my shoulder, his palms rough on my skin. One of his hands ventured upwards, wrapping around my throat but not squeezing, and his other hand slid down over my stomach. My thighs twitched and I instinctively pressed by ass against Derek. I could feel his erection as he dug his nails into my thigh. Taking in a sharp breath, I could feel goosebumps rising across my skin.

He was touching, teasing, kissing, riling me up until I could actually feel myself dripping.

"Do you want me to keep going?" Derek asked, his voice husky.

"Yes." Licking my lips, I anticipated what may come next. I whimpered when Derek's heat suddenly left me, but I could hear he was only taking a few steps away. I heard something start buzzing and jolted when it was suddenly pressed against my inner thigh. Derek slowly drug the vibrating object up my thigh, inching closer and closer to the apex as I felt my teeth sharpen.

Derek's free hand groped my ass and my hips bucked when the vibrator finally touched my clit. Chain's rattled as I was struggling to keep still and Derek pulled the vibrator away, making me whine. I was so fucking horny and desperate to feel more and I was absolutely suffocating on the scent of arousal and sweet incense.

Flexing my claws, I bucked once more when the vibrator touched me again, this time pressing harder against me as I moaned. The chains around my wrists went taut and Derek bit the back of my neck. My back arched while the vibrator circled and it felt like my knees were getting weaker.

"P-Please." I whimpered before Derek ran two of his fingers over my labia. He teased more before finally slipping his two fingers in. Drool dripped down my chin as I moaned, baring my fangs while hearing our rapid heartbeats and my rumbling purr. I could feel Derek's breath on my shoulder and he began to pump his fingers. "Fuck~." I panted.

Derek kissed the top of my spine and trailed down, leaving more kisses and nips as he crouched behind me and his stubble scraped my skin. I swallowed, panting as the only thing I could focus on was what Derek was making me feel. Everything else was just drowned out.

He bit the back of my thigh and I shivered, moaning as he curled his fingers. I rocked my hips, grinding against the vibrator and his fingers. Derek kissed my inner thigh before licking and my legs shook. He pulled his fingers out, replacing them with his tongue and I craved for more. He was going purposefully slow, doing just enough to keep me moaning but not enough to get off.

I heard a soft click and the vibrator upped speed, nearly making my knees buckle. A strange heat began to intensify in my stomach, branching outward as it felt like sparks were hopping across my skin. Derek switched out his tongue for his fingers again, going deeper and pressing against a highly sensitive spot.

Then I blacked out....

~

The inky black slowly began to fade away as blurry colors came into focus. I was panting, sweat coating my skin as I was looking down at.... Derek?

He was sweaty, breathing heavily while laying there with his eyes half open and my hands were on the floor on either side of his head. Swallowing, I noticed there were some scratches on his now bare chest, but they weren't deep and he licked his lips before speaking.

"Wish we did this before I was human. So fucking hard to keep up." He panted.

"Fuck, are you okay?!"

"Fine. Tired, but fine."

"I think it actually worked."

"You think?" He rose his eyebrows and I sat up while glancing around. The incense was all burned out, but the chains were still intact and Derek's torn shirt was on the floor.

"Sorry. I didn't think I'd actually lose control."

"I think with practice you'll get control."

"Wait, why didn't you run?! I could have killed you!" I quickly looked Derek over again, making sure I didn't seriously wound him. He gently grabbed my jaw to make me look at his face.

"But you didn't. I'm fine, I swear. You kinda only had one thing on mind." He chuckled, dropping his hand from my face and stretched out his arms. Sighing, I stood up, the chains rattling as I moved and saw there were even some scratches on his lower stomach leading right to his ripped open jeans. I felt my ears burn while clearing my throat.

"Why don't we get cleaned up?"

~

"What the Hell happened?" Stiles asked while walking into the loft with his dad.

"It was supposed to be a date." Derek answered and I ran my hand through my hair, looking over the wreckage. Scott had set up the loft for he and Kira to watch a movie, but the hanging lights were half shattered, the coffee table was destroyed, windows were broken, and there were signs of a fight with blood on the floor.

"They were _both_ here?" Sheriff Stilinski furrowed his brows.

"And they're both gone."

"Kate took them." I clenched my jaw. What the Hell were we supposed to do? I'd only connected to the Primal _once_ and it wasn't on command nor had I been in control. I could barely take on two Berserkers and Kate had so many more....


	35. Pelt of Steel

"I still don't like relying on these things." Derek sighed as Braeden cocked a pistol.

"I get it. You miss your power. I would, too."

"It's not about power, it's about being able to help. I don't like feeling helpless."

"I'm human. Do I look helpless?"

"You're a much better shot than me."

"I'm still not even sure I want you going." I stated, tossing a shirt into the bag with other garments already inside.

"You can only do so much, Dakota." Braeden grabbed some rounds to fill a magazine. "Let us at least provide distance cover."

"Still-"

"Dakota." Derek gave me a look and I sighed through my nose. "You're not going without me. Saving Scott and Kira is what we should be focusing on, not me."

"You don't even have enough firepower to kill _one_ Berserker." Peter popped off while coming down the stairs. "Killing a Berserker is next to impossible. It's not just the firepower, it's breaking the animal spirit from the human."

"Well, the one person we know with that kind of experience is Argent. And he's not getting back to me."

"Well, then we're going to need help. Like Malia. Maybe Liam. _Definitely_ me." Peter smiled and I rolled my eyes. "Oh, come now, wild child. You _know_ you're gonna need help, too."

"Just stay out of my way." I grumbled, tossing the bag of clothes over my shoulder as I went towards the front door. "I'll be outside."

~

"We really bringing him?" Derek questioned while pointing at Liam.

"We really bringing _him?_ " Stiles gestured to Peter.

"We're bringing everyone that we can, and considering Scott and Kira were taken the night before a full moon, we should probably get going."

"What's that mean?" Malia asked.

"If Kate took Scott back to the same temple she took Derek, how do we know she's not planning to do the same thing to him?"

"She want's to make him younger?" Liam made a face.

"Or take him back to when he wasn't a werewolf." Derek stated.

"A werewolf can't steal a true Alpha's power, but maybe a Nagual with all the power of Tezcalipoca behind her....maybe she can. So, if everyone is sufficiently freaked out, I suggest we get going."

"We can't. Not without Lydia."

"Either you all get driving or I'm running my own ass to Mexico." I growled. "I'm tired of being in these fucking vehicles."

"Does anyone have nausea medicine for Dakota?"

~

"All good?" Derek asked and Liam tested the restraints. They held, so hopefully they'd hold if he went out of control. "I brought something that might help you. This has been with my family for centuries. It's a _very_ powerful supernatural talisman that we use to teach Betas how to control themselves under the full moon." The man was lying so I could figure he was trying the triskelion trick with Liam.

"....Yes. It's powerful." Stiles cleared his throat, but clearly also knew the truth. " _Very_ powerful."

"Dakota, why don't you try sleeping until we get there?" Braeden suggested while glancing at me and I just stared at her.

"Yes. Sleep. Something I can totally accomplish while feeling like I'm going to barf while also freaking out because I'm about to take on Kate and her Berserkers."

"Before anyone asks I did _not_ teach Dakota sarcasm." Stiles piped up from the back of the van.

"You try being nauseous for hours." I grumbled. "Can't even open the window cause of all the damn sand."

~

There was a metallic clang as Liam jolted.

"Whatever it is you're going to teach me....you better start now." There was an edge of a growl in his voice as the full moon was finally getting to him.

"Liam, stay with me. We have a mantra that we use, repeat it, you focus on the words. It's like meditating only you say the words until you feel the control coming back to you."

"Okay. Okay!" Liam growled, sounding like he was in pain. "What are the words?!"

"Look at the triskelion- See the symbol? I have a tattoo on my back, it's the same thing. Each spiral means something."

"Alpha, Beta, Omega." Stiles added.

"It represents the idea that we can rise to one and fall back to another. Betas can become Alphas."

"Alphas can become Betas."

"Can Alphas become Omegas?" Liam questioned.

"Yes. All you have to do is say the three words. With each one you tell yourself you're getting more calmer, more in control. Go ahead."

"Alpha, Beta-"

"Slower."

"Alpha....Beta....Omega. Ngh! _Alpha....Beta....Omega!_ "

"Good. Say it again. Remember, every time you're saying the words you're getting calmer."

"Alpha....Beta....Omega." Liam's voice was turning more towards the wolf and Stiles began to reek of fear.

"Oh, my Jesus."

"Say it again."

"Derek, I don't think that, uh, powerful talisman self-control is working."

"Liam, say it again!" Derek's tone was more desperate and I unbuckled my seat belt. Liam jerked, causing the van to rock and I grabbed the grate separating the front seats from the back.

"Liam!" I snarled, his attention snapping to me as his eyes were glowing and his fangs were bared. He lurched forward, snarling and Braeden was struggling to keep the van on the road. The Beta broke free one of his hands and I busted down the grate to catch his wrist before his claws dug into Derek. " **LIAM!** " I roared and the Beta's reaction was so much more extreme as he flinched back into his seat.

His golden eyes locked with my own silver ones and I could see the struggle he was having trying to keep the wolf back.

"What three things can not long be hidden?" I questioned and the Beta growled. " _ **ANSWER!**_ " He flinched back again from the Alpha tone, but it was keeping him from tearing the two humans in front of him apart.

"....The sun....the moon....the truth."

" _Again_."

"The sun....the moon....the truth."

"Again."

"The sun....the moon....the truth." He began to repeat the mantra, his eyes no longer glowing and the more he said it the more he calmed down. I let his wrist go and was thankful he remembered Satomi's pack's mantra because I honestly did not feel like crawling into the back of the van and wrestling the Beta to keep him from killing someone.

"Dakota....?" Derek was looking at me and from his expression I knew that he knew.

"We can talk about it later. Now's not the time."

"What we can talk about later is who's paying for repairs." Braeden piped up. "This prisoner transport is on _loan_ not _own_."

"Can't believe I did it." Liam scoffed. "You know, for a minute there I thought I was gonna tear you two apart."

"Yeah, that would have made for an awkward ride home, so thank you." Stiles waved his hand. The van came to a stop and I quickly got out of the vehicle to stand on solid ground.

"Dakota!" Derek called, getting out of the van through the back and quickly rounding the vehicle to me. He grabbed my arm, making me look at him as his brows were furrowed. "You're an Alpha, aren't you? But how-?"

"Please, Derek. Not here. Not now."

"No, how long have you known?"

"I-" Quickly shoving Derek to the ground, I caught the bone dagger thrown at us as a Berserker was running out from the church. Snarling, I shifted, tearing through my clothes and clashing with the Berserker. Another one ran right past us and I couldn't stop it without leaving myself completely open to attack from the first.

The Berserker headbutted me and I bared my teeth from the pain. I heard gunshots behind me and kicked the Berserker back. It went down, but was quickly scrambling to get back up until I pinned it down and tooth the chance to go right for the Berserker's throat.

It gave an animalistic scream until I shook my jaws violently and ripped the Berserker's throat out. Panting from the rush of adrenalin, I got to my feet as blood dripped from my muzzle. Something was wrong. The Berserker went down way too easily.

"How bad is it?" My ear flicked when I heard Peter and it was then that over under the Berserker's scent that I smelled Derek's blood.

"I'm fine! Just....get to Scott!" I turned to see Derek sat against a broken wall, blood staining the front of his shirt and I didn't want to believe it. "Just find him. We'll be right behind you." Blood spilled from his mouth and it clicked.

Derek was human. Derek was....he was going to die. He was bleeding too much....already starting to smell like death.

Heat in my stomach surged out like fire in my veins and my fur stood on end as it felt like electricity zapped over my skin.

"Dakota? Dakota!" Voices drowned out as my vision went red and my body shook from the growling.

I was going to kill them all.

I broke through the church doors like they weren't even there and stormed through the church. The building began to echo with roaring and growls and rattling bones. Between the full moon and the fury fueled Primal giving me power it was as if the Berserkers weren't really even trying to fight back with the sheer power I now had.

My claws tore through their skeletal armor, my jaws crushed their skull helmets with their heads inside, and I ripped them apart as blood splattered across my fur. Their disgusting taste coated my tongue and I could no longer smell anything other than their foul scent and blood. A dagger drove into my side, but I shook it off like it was nothing more than a splinter and nearly cut a Berserker's head off with my claws.

I found the others, all of them trying to fight the same Berserker and getting their asses handed to them. Grabbing the Berserker by the spinal armor on its back, I threw it across the room. Dust and brick came raining down on top of the Berserker.

"Aim for the skull! Kill it! Kill it now!" Peter was shouting, but I didn't give a shit about him and advanced on the Berserker. This one was smaller than the others, but that just meant it would be easier to tear apart.

The Berserker flew at me, their fist crashing against my jaw and I returned the favor. Blood flew from their mouth and I struck with my other fist, sending their head jerking in the other direction. The Berserker stumbled before I bared my fangs and flexed my claws.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Stiles slid to a stop in the room and the end of what he said just drifted off as I closed in on the Berserker. My ear twitched with the sound of hissing wind and my arm shout out as my hand closed around a katana.

My silver eyes narrowed on Kira, her eyes going wide with fear as I growled a warning.

"Dakota! I said it's _Scott!_ Stop!" Stiles screamed. I turned to the human, and his eyes were begging. "Please! Stop!" The Berserker suddenly mule kicked me, sending me flying into a wall.

"Scott! Scott, don't!" Kira yelled.

"Scott, it's me." Stiles tried to get through to Scott but got smacks down like a fly. Roaring, I crashed into Scott, driving my shoulder into his side and breaking through a corner in the wall.

"Dakota, no!"

"Listen, listen, listen! You're not a monster!" Liam shouted. "We're not monsters." Scott seemed to react, squirming and grunting like he was fighting for control. He grabbed the skull helmet, tearing it apart as the Berserker spirit was broken and he roared. I backed off and went to leave, to continue on my killing spree while the Primal and moon still had my veins coursing with power.

The church was already cleaned out so I found myself outside where humans were fighting Berserkers and dying. The dark lit up with every gunshot and shells hit the ground like metallic rain. I could hear my own heart pumping like a roaring current as I still saw the world through a red haze.

A Berserker was looming over a human with a dagger raised until I sank my fangs into their shoulder and ripped their arm off. I was brutal but I knew what the wolf was doing....what _I_ was doing.

I threw the now dead Berserker at another one, sending them both crashing into a dilapidated building before pouncing on the back of another one and closing my jaws around its neck, tearing through flesh and bone as I ripped its head off.

Bullets hit my side and I turned on the source, roaring viciously and another bullet his my shoulder. They were regular bullets meant for the Berserkers, useless against me unless aimed for the right spots they were clearly not hitting.

I froze as my ears perked, hearing a howl echo through the night air. I completely ignored the human shooting at me and as I turned away they even stopped shooting. I ran to the front of the church, not stopping until I saw the source of the howl.

"Hey." He grinned and the red haze lifted. I ran at him, feeling tears prick at my eyes as I shifted back to human form before colliding into the man with a hug. I actually cried, burying my face into Derek's chest and not even questioning why he was naked 'cause I was just too fucking overjoyed that he was alive.

Derek wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight and letting me cry.

"I thought you were dying, you ass!"

"In a way, but not quite."

"What is with you people and your cryptic bullshit?" I sniffled and he only laughed.


	36. Tracy

Leaning against the door of the vehicle, I tried to focus on the low music from the radio rather than the sick feeling in my stomach. The desert landscape passed by the window as the tires kicked up dust and sand.

"You gonna talk to me now?" Derek questioned and I glanced to him, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

"The answer is yes. I am an Alpha. Though, honestly, I still haven't even accepted that fact myself yet."

"How long have you known?"

"Since I got my memories back."

"And you didn't tell me why?"

"Like I said....didn't want to accept it."

"I gotta say it does make sense. You being an Alpha, I mean." He glanced at me briefly and I sighed.

"Yeah, Peter said the same damn thing." I grumbled. "Had a problem with authority."

"Wait, _Peter_ knew?!"

"It's not like I told him." I waved my hand before explaining. "When I went to him for help, he ended up pissing me off so much I roared and I made him nearly piss his pants."

"And you don't think it's strange he hasn't told anyone?"

"He hasn't told anyone because he wants something. He always does."

"Well, he's not getting what he wants anytime soon where he's going."

"What about you? You're a werewolf again."

"Still just a Beta."

"Werewolf nonetheless. Pretty strong too from what I'm sensing."

"Yeah." He chuckled "Glad to not be human again. I don't know how Stiles does it."

"'Cause he's Stiles." I smirked. "Boy does a lot of crazy shit for a human. Like trying to outrun a Fenris."

"Fix his Jeep with duct tape."

"Sass _Alpha_ werewolves."

"Helping not one, but _two_ , feral supernatural creatures."

"And getting them both attached. Hell, a whole fucking pack attached." Derek and I laughed.

~

"Good morning."

"Mornin'." I stretched out my arms and back as I walked into the kitchen. Derek kissed my cheek and set a plate full of food down onto the table. "Perfect." I grinned, sitting down at the table to eat.

"Your turn to do dishes, by the way."

"Mm."

After the ordeal in Mexico, Derek and I left Beacon Hills while Braeden went off to continue her hunt for the Desert Wolf. I kept in touch with Stiles and Malia by video chatting with them every Saturday and for the past six months it seemed like things were going fairly normal despite Beacon Hills being....well, a beacon for the Supernatural.

And as for us, I could now control the Primal and Derek had become my Beta to keep from becoming an Omega. Though, if we were honest, Derek very well may have been my Beta long before actually saying it because even when I didn't know I was an Alpha I was still an Alpha.

It was also definitely....a challenge for me to adjust. My entire life had been in or very near to Beacon Hills and now I was just so far away from those familiar woods. Unlike Scott though, I still didn't have much of a pack. I still didn't think I was ready for one, so it was just Derek and I until I finally get the brass to lead.

~

"Tracy wasn't just having trouble sleeping, it was a _real_ disorder. It was night terrors."

"Yeah, well, now _she's_ the night terror. Especially since no one can find her." Stiles waved his hand.

"Okay, I know we're all tired and miserable." Scott glanced to his side to the bright eyed kid reeking of excitement. "Except for you."

"Oh, I'm sorry. This is all just so mind blowing. You're a kitsune. I don't even know what that is!"

"Nine tailed fox." I piped up and their heads whipped around to look at me as I sat on top of a bus. "Well, she's still young so she only has one tail."

"Dakota!" Malia grinned.

"Dakota? What are you doing here?" Scott smiled, happy to see me but utterly confused. "And how come we didn't smell you?"

"I'm downwind, genius." I slid off the bus and landed next to the new face. "And I'm here 'cause Malia said there was some weird shit going down." They glanced to the werecoyote and she shrugged.

"What? Weird stuff _is_ happening. Didn't think you'd come all the way to Beacon Hills because of it, though."

"Just making sure you guys are okay. Also, who's the new human?"

"Uh, I'm Mason." He smiled while holding his hand out to me and I paused. _'....What was I supposed to do now?'_ I thought while trying to remember what people did in this situation. Stiles snorted, leaning on his Jeep while raising his eyebrows.

"Did you forget how to _shake hands_ , Dakota?"

"No." I lied, grabbing the boy's hand and shaking it.

"Dakota, did you just lie?" Scott gasped while touching his chest and I narrowed my eyes.

"Look, I don't exactly shake hands every day now."

"Don't feel too bad, even _I_ still forget things." Malia waved her hand. "It's so complicated."

"So, like....what are you?" Mason questioned.

"Fenris." I crossed my arms over my chest while sighing. "Basically older ancestor to the werewolf, yada yada ya, pretty much descendant of King Lycaon."

"Except her last name _is_ Lycaon."

"They." I corrected. "After seeing the world a little more I found out humans don't just have she and he."

"They don't?" Malia made a face and I grinned.

"Yeah! That's so confusing, right? I mean, in the wild we didn't really have that and it was just so weird."

"I know what you mean." She scoffed. "She this, he that, eat with a fork, blah blah bah."

"I'm sorry, am I missing something here?" Mason furrowed his brows.

"Malia and Dakota grew up in the wild. Both of them only recently got reintroduced to _human_ society."

"Wait, we've really gone so far off topic." Lydia raised her hand. "Tracy's still out there."

"She's just one lone wolf." Scott replied.

"One lone serial killing wolf."

"She only killed one person and....mauled two others."

"I say we put her down."

"....Intense." Mason nodded.

"Guys, lets concentrate on catching her first." Scott gestured and both Liam and Stiles looked right at me.

"....Those faces either mean you want me as bait or you want me as the catcher."

"I mean, you _are_ a Fenris." Liam raised his shoulders. "And you can.... _rip_ through Berserkers."

"And you did come here to help, right?" Stiles pointed and I nodded. "So, wanna help?"

"Tell me what you know."

~

The fire alarm was going off as I quickly walked past students, following the scent of wolf and blood. I found Tracy in a mostly empty classroom with a girl trying to urge her to leave. Tracy wasn't even acknowledging the girl's presences and the desk she sat at was broken.

"Ah! You're hurting me!" The girl flinched when Tracy's hand suddenly shot out and grabbed her arm.

"Let her go." I gave a low warning growl and the wolf looked at me but it was as if she didn't actually see me.

"They're coming." She said lowly while standing up and letting the girl go. "They're coming for us all."

"Tracy- Tracy!" She suddenly fell and a silver liquid pooled from her mouth.

"Liam, need your help!" I called to the boy in the doorway and he rushed into the room. Picking Tracy up in my arms, I knew I had to act quick with how erratic her heartbeat was. "Take this girl to the nurse, she got cut."

"Right." He nodded and I walked out of the classroom and into the hall.

"Dakota? What the Hell did you do?!" Scott looked at me with wide eyes and I bared my teeth.

" _I_ didn't do this. Now move or help."

~

"Pupils dilate under normal conditions." Deaton stated before moving the flashlight away from Tracy's eye. "Heart rate is 250. Evidence of an allogeniac skin graft on the right shoulder. This silvery substance is nothing I've ever seen. Almost looks like....mercury."

"Can't you give her a shot of something?" Malia questioned.

"She doesn't appear to be in any pain."

"I meant a shot to _kill_ her."

"I generally prescribe to a code of ethics that frowns on such measures."

"Malia, you know we're not gonna do that." Scott rose his eyebrows at the coyote.

"Yeah, how do you know she's not gonna kill us?"

"She makes a decent point." Stiles waved his hand. "Either way, I'm going to have to eventually let my dad know she's here."

"Agreed. And while I may argue against euthanasia, I'm not apposed to a little extra security." Deaton grabbed a jar and opened it, tossing the contents towards the exit to put down a closed barrier of mountain ash.

"You may want to second guess euthanasia." I said while looking at the girl. "Her scent....it's wrong."

"Wrong?"

"I don't smell anything." Scott made a face and Malia pointed.

"Yeah, but they have a stronger sense of smell than us."

"Dakota, what do you smell?"

"Death."

"Death? Like.... _death_ death or she killed someone and you can smell it?" Stiles cringed.

"Both."

"What else do you smell?" Deaton furrowed his brows and I walked up to the side of the table Tracy laid on.

"Werewolf, but it's not right. Something's off, but I don't know what. And earth, like mud. Fear. Blood- not hers- and metal."

"....So, that doesn't exactly sound like a nice mix of scents."

"You seriously smell all that?" Scott asked and I grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him closer to Tracy.

"Focus on your sense of smell and nothing else." I told him and he did just that. With my nose I could smell it from a distance, but with him being just a werewolf he would have to be closer.

"....Dakota's right. Something is very _off_."

"I'll try to run some tests while she's stable, then." Deaton stated as Scott leaned back, and he noticed Stiles staring at the ash on the floor. "Don't worry, Stiles. Tracy won't be able to cross a line of mountain ash. She's not going anywhere."

"Yeah, that's kind of what I'm afraid of."

"Well, you and I will be able to get out of here no problem. You two, not so much." He glanced to Malia and Scott.

"And we all know how I can get through, too." I waved my hand and Malia turned to the mountain ash curiously before sticking out her arm to test the boundary.

"Weird."

"Could you try holding her down? I'm going to be trying a little more _invasive_ test." Deaton asked and Scott held down one of Tracy's arms while I got the other. The vet grabbed a scalpel and put it to the girl's forearm, but her skin was so strong it didn't even cut and instead the scalpel even snapped.

"I think you're gonna need a bigger blade." Stiles popped off.

"This is interesting." Deaton made a face while turning Tracy's head and Scott stepped away to check his phone. There was something moving just beneath the skin. "Could you help me turn her over, please?" Rolling Tracy over, Deaton pulled up the back of her shirt and we could see something rolling along her spine.

"I think I know what she is." Stiles spoke up louder than before.

"Care to enlighten the rest of us? Because this doesn't look too good." Deaton gestured to the girl on the table. "Dakota, do you mind trying your claws?"

Leaning over the girl's back, I grew out my claws and softly pressed them to the moving mass on her spine. I tried to be as gentle as possible, but with the strength of her skin I had to use some force to get a cut. The cut wasn't even an inch long before her back suddenly split open and shot out black blood, spraying Deaton, Scott, and myself. Tracy's spine rolled and a tail shot out, knocking down Stiles and smacking into Deaton before Tracy jumped up and hit Malia and clawed Scott across his face.

She had scales like a kanima but teeth like a werewolf and ran for the exit, going right over the mountain ash like it wasn't even there. I knew Scott would be paralyzed from Tracy's kanima claws, but I was shocked to see _everyone_ paralyzed.

"What the Hell?!"

"It wasn't a werewolf!"

"Kanima."

"She's not a kanima, either, you idiots." I growled, rolling Stiles onto his back and sitting him up against the wall. "The reason she smells wrong is because she's somehow mixed." Grabbing Deaton, I did the same to him as well. "There's no telling what all she is if she even had a fucking tail barb."

"Tail barb?" Malia grunted, trying to get up and failing.

"A real kanima can only paralyze with the substance from their claws." I stated, dragging Scott out of the middle of the floor. "And the Alpha here was the only one to get actually hit by her claws, yet you're all paralyzed and have cuts."

"Deaton, how the Hell did she get through the mountain ash?" Stiles asked.

"I don't know. Dakota must be right. Though, I don't know what she could be mixed with- almost no supernatural creature can cross it."

"Scott did it."

"Once, and it nearly killed me."

"We should have killed her!" Malia snapped.

"We've got to catch her, first."

"Are you going to leave us here?" Stiles glanced to me as I walked past.

"Even thought Scott and Malia will be able to move faster than you and Deaton, it will still take time for the paralytic to wear off. There's no telling what Tracy might do before then."

"Okay, but what if Tracy turns out to be part Fenris, too?" Malia furrowed her brows. "I mean, if she's werewolf _and_ kanima, who's to say Fenris is out of the question?"

"It'd explain her crossing mountain ash." Scott said lowly and I shook my head.

"Even if she is part Fenris, the reason I can cross it is because I'm an Alpha, she's not." I said before running out of the clinic.

~

"Why is it always fucking _here_?" I grubbled, walking into the police station and passing the paralyzed humans laying around. I heard shouting and hissing further inside and ran to intervene.

"Lydia! _Lydia!_ "

Jumping over a desk, I landed in front of Tracy and spun on my heel to trip her but she hopped up onto a desk and bared her fangs at me. Her tail whipped around and I had to duck to avoid the barb. Grabbing her tail, I swung her off of the desk and stepped on her back to keep her pinned to the floor. Swiping down with my claws, I cut off her tail and threw it away as she screamed.

Tracy tried to claw at me, making me jump back to avoid them, and she ran now that she could get up. Chasing her to the basement, she turned and gained a posture like she was ready to fight. Tracy swayed like a cobra and I flashed my silver eyes while growling.

She had even more scales now and her scent was so different from before as if she were still changing. Tracy was like some sort of chimera, her smell so muddled with different beasts that I couldn't even decipher them all. Her blood dripping to the floor was mixed with the same silvery substance that had come from her mouth before, and she reeked even more of death.

Roaring, I flexed my claws as a warning for her to back down or I would use force to subdue her.

"Dakota!" Malia came running from behind. "Dakota, stop! She thinks she's dreaming! You have to wake her up!"

"How the fuck do I do that? I cut off her tail and it didn't even wake her up!"

"You said it yourself; You're an _Alpha_ , she's not." Malia replied and I shook my head as Tracy hissed, taking a step towards me. It couldn't hurt to try, but if it didn't work I would have to hurt Tracy more to keep everyone else safe.

I roared, rattling the metal shelves against the walls and Tracy immediately reacted. She went down, covering her ears while squirming and crying out, but her eyes stopped glowing. Tracy softly whimpered, holding herself before she slowly sat up and looked so lost and confused.

"Tracy?" Malia came up beside me, remaining cautious while trying to comfort the girl. "Tracy, look at me, okay? You're not dreaming. Do you get that? You're not dreaming."

"What's happening to me?" She asked just before someone suddenly appeared next to her and grabbed her.

"Tracy?!" Malia ran for the girl before getting slammed into a wall by someone else. I took one step, but it felt like a cannonball smacked into my torso, sending me flying back.

"The condition is terminal." A robotic voice said and I could swear I saw stars as I was trying to catch the air that had been knocked from my lungs.


End file.
